CSI Miami: Captiva
by Ru-ru Makiin
Summary: COMPLETE A psychological killer hits Miami with all he's got...but there's a twist...Please R&R! Pairing: HOC, some CS
1. Prologue

**Hey all! Okay, I'm _honestly_ sorry for tossing up so many fics at once! It's just that I'm getting so many ideas pouring into my head! I've been watching CSI: Miami since day one, and I've always wanted to write my own story for it. I never did, because I hardly know anything about forensics. This time, I've looked at a few websites and re-watched my old tapes of CSI, and I think I might be able to pull of an okay story. I always like to add a little bit of my own taste to things (romance, mainly), and since I see a lot of Tim/Calleigh pairings, I've decided to give Horatio a chance. He's actually quite charming! Again, I'm adding an original main character, so please don't get angry. She ties into the story, but I'm not 100% sure in what direction I'm heading. Just sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy!**

*Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or anything, except for my one original main character.

CSI Miami: Captiva

Chapter One: Prologue

It was a warm, Saturday morning--early, about 6am. A mother and her child, vacationers from Michigan, were sifting through the sands of Miami Beach for shells and sea creatures that had been washed ashore.

"Mommy! Come see what I found!" the little blonde-haired girl said excitedly as she hopped down to a row of large rocks aside a nearby jetty.

"What is it? Do you see some fish swimming down there?" the mother asked as she carefully stepped down to where her daughter was standing.

The little girl shook her head, holding up a soggy item. The mother examined it, "A Teddy bear, huh? I wonder if someone lost it…"

The woman watched as her daughter made her way down to the next level of the large ocean rocks, "Be careful! Don't go too close to the water, okay?"

There was no response--her daughter's attention was directed to something else. She crouched down to get a better look, but her foot slipped on the moss. She started to cry, cradling her scraped knee.

"I told you to be careful!" her mom said, dropping the plush toy and rushing to her child's side.

The woman looked around, then asked, "Oh, no…where did your bucket of shells go?"

The little girl whimpered, then pointed to the space in the rocks that she had been looking in just moments earlier. The mother figured that she had simply dropped it when she fell. When she got on her knees to reach for it, she noticed something piled up beside the little red pail. After realizing what it was, the woman screamed, quickly shuffling back and pulling her daughter against her.

* * * * * 

Horatio Caine, head of the CSI crime lab in Miami, said kindly to the woman, "Thank you, Mrs. Brighton. If you don't mind, I'll need you to stick around for a little while longer."

She nodded in agreement, standing with her arm around the confused little girl.

As Horatio walked away from them, he was approached by Tim Speedle, a fellow detective from the crime lab, "Hey, got anything yet?"

"We've got a mother and her daughter, just here for a nice two-week vacation, until they come across the dead body of what looks like a child--a little girl, maybe six…seven years tops. From the looks of it, she suffered from a shot directly to the spinal cord."

"Instant death?"

Horatio nodded, "Had to be. Mrs. Brighton found a Teddy Bear laying nearby too, looks like it had some spatter on it. We've got a lot of stuff to check out before going any farther."

Speed sighed, "Who would want to do this? Especially to a little girl…"

Horatio pulled his sunglasses from his jacket pocket, setting them on the bridge of his nose, "That's exactly our job--to find out."


	2. A Place in My Heart

Chapter 2: A Place in My Heart 

"Okay, we've got an ID on the child," Speed stated, "Sally Kirsten, seven years old. Turns out her mom left for work a little bit early, thinking that her daughter would be okay for a few minutes until the babysitter arrived. Of course, the babysitter had mistaken the day and never showed up--leaving little Sally home alone."

"So what happened? How did Sally get from home to the beach?" Horatio asked.

"Well, there were no signs of forced entry, and no signs that anyone had been inside the house after Mrs. Kirsten left for work."

"And that means that young Sally decided to take a walk."

Speed pondered, "You think she left to try and find her mom, then was confronted by the killer?"

"Could be…"

"From what Alexx has told me, Sally was crouched inside the little crevice, facing the wall. Blood spatter shows that she was shot there. Oh, and spatter on the bear _was_ Sally's, but with the change of the tides, it was washed about eight feet away from where she was killed."

Horatio's face was sympathetic, "Okay, so she either trusted the person well enough to follow him out to the beach, or she was forced or threatened somehow."

"There's one more thing…" Speed stalled, "…Sally had a heart-shaped cut just below her left shoulder."

Horatio sighed, rubbing his forehead, "Sounds like we've got a psychological killer…he's definitely got some kind of particular reason for doing this."

"So what are we gunna do about it? Other than the cut, there aren't many leads yet," Speed reasoned.

"I think I might be able to manage some extra help…I just need to do a little convincing."

**Okay, I'm having a hard time organizing everything. There a mess of stuff I have planned for this story, so you gotta bear with me! After I post chapter three, things will most likely be moving a little slower. I'm really gunna try to make the events as true to the show as possible, including all the science-y stuff. Like I said before, there's gunna either be a romantic scene, or just a hint of romance, but you'll start to see that develop in chapters 3 or 4. Sorry for my jumbled side note, but it's really late and I wanted to add one more chapter and give an idea of what is to come. Thanks for reading ^_^**


	3. A Step Back

Chapter 3: A Step Back

Horatio, after a long 3 and a half hour drive from Miami to Captiva Island, finally pulled up to a small light-blue house. He stepped out of the car, stalling for a moment. Taking another breath of the fresh ocean air, Horatio approached the door.

He knocked a couple times, waiting for an answer, then heard a familiar voice, "One second!"

Finally, the door opened, revealing a young woman, maybe 29 years old. She had hair a little darker than Horatio's, but it was still red-orange tinted, and her eyes were more of a blue-gray color. Her mouth dropped open, "Horatio!"

He got knocked back a little when she threw her arms around him. He chuckled, fixing his crooked sunglasses, "Robin, long time no see, huh?"

She nodded, "…yeah…um, come on in! It's kinda messy inside, I wasn't really expecting any company."

Horatio followed her inside. It was a comfy home, and despite what she had told him, it was pretty clean. There was also a great view of the beach. He spoke as he sat near a glass coffee table, "Nice place you've got here. It's still hard for me to believe you moved so far from Miami."

Robin handed him a cup of coffee, "I kinda miss it, but I'm doing okay out here."

Horatio noticed her expression, remembering the reason why she left the CSI business in the first place. He changed the subject looking around at a bunch of stacked paintings, "I see you've picked up art?"

"Yep," Robin nodded, "It's really relaxing, and it brings in some pretty good money. I opened up my own shop, y'know."

"That's great," he complimented, "You're work's beautiful."

Robin paused, tapping the coffee cup with her nail, "Horatio…this isn't just a friendly visit…is it?"

He sighed, knowing he couldn't avoid the subject, "No, it's not. You were always one of the best when it came to crimes dealing with a major psychological issue…I mean, when you talked to some of those people, you were always able to really connect with them, get all the answers that we needed…"

"Don't say what I think you're gunna say. I'm finished with CSI," she said, walking to a window.

"Just hear me out. The body of a little girl was found in a pile of rocks along Miami Beach…we've got no leads on why she was killed, or who could have done it," he continued, remaining seated.

Robin shook her head, "I told you…after what happened last time, I can't go back. It wasn't meant to be…I mean, you need to see things that people should never see, you need to get used to things that people should never get used to…it just wasn't for me."

He knew she was serious. Horatio remembered a particularly strange case that they had worked on in the past. A man that had killed children, then dressed them up as dolls and painted their faces. After talking to him, Robin learned that his mother had always told him that he should have been a girl who dressed up and played with dolls, instead of a boy who rolled around in the mud and played with bugs. It was too much on her to see things like that, but Horatio knew she was the best bet for figuring out this case.

Horatio approached Robin, she was looking out at the beach, "If you help us, think how many lives you could save…how many families would be grateful."

She was silent.

"Alright…if you don't do it for all those people, and I know you won't do it for yourself…do it for _me_," Horatio said, looking at her upset face.

"Please…please don't do this to me, Horatio," she said softly, glancing up at his stern face. She closed her eyes, thinking for a moment, then took a breath, "Alright…lemme see the files."

"There's my girl," Horatio smiled.

* * * * *

Hours later, after searching and reading and examining pictures, Robin still had no ideas. The house was quiet--Horatio offered to pick up some groceries while Robin was busy. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying hard to concentrate. Her eyes suddenly opened, and she tore through the files, looking for a particular photograph.

She pulled out a few pictures of the little girl--remembering a heart-shaped cut on her left shoulder. First was her bare shoulder, showing the size and thickness of the cut. Next was the shirt, the blood had soaked through to make the same shape.

"Wait a minute," Robin said, tapping her lip with the folder-edge. She traced the heart from one picture with her fingertip, then did the same on the other picture, "These aren't the same!"

Just then, she heard Horatio's car pull up along the gravel driveway. She rushed outside. He greeted her with a smile, "Don't worry, I got everything."

Not catching his joke, she grabbed his arm, pulling him inside as the bags of produce dropped to the ground. 

"Here, look," Robin said, showing Horatio the photos.

"What exactly am I looking for?"

She pointed to the cut and the blood marks, "The cut and the smear--they're not the same! The heart shaped smear is smaller on the clothes than it is on the girl's body… Horatio, she's not our first."

He looked at the pictures, Robin was right. Horatio immediately pulled out his cell phone. Speed answered on the other side.

"Speedle."

"How closely did you examine the girl's clothes?"

"Not much, Alexx has been looking the body over from head to toe. She found some mascara on Sally's eyelashes, so we're trying to figure out what brand it is, and if it possibly was her mother's."

"Listen, you've _got_ to check the clothes again. It's very possible that the killer used another victim's blood to make the heart stain on her clothes."

"What?" Speed said, quickly standing up.

"Yeah, the stain on the clothes looks like it's smaller than the mark on Sally's body, it seems to be a little crooked too--awkwardly placed. If he used his fingers to smear it, there might be a chance we can pick up traces of prints," Horatio added.

"Alright, I'm on it," Speed hung up.

Horatio looked at Robin, "You've picked up our first lead…so what do ya say? Are you gunna just stop here?"

She shook her head slowly, "I guess I'm stuck now."

"Pack up your stuff; we're going to Miami."

**In this chapter, I introduced my original character, Robin Elde (pronounced El-dee): she had briefly worked with Horatio on a case a while back. I talked about it a little bit in the chapter so you could get the main idea of why she was so skeptical of helping out the CSIs. I didn't really make it too clear, but there _is_ a little chemistry between Robin and Horatio. It's mostly shown when Horatio acts more lighthearted when he's around her. I chose Robin's home to be located on Captiva Island--it's pretty much directly west of Miami. I usually get to go there once every 3 years, and it's really a beautiful place! It seemed like a perfect place for a girl like Robin to live!** 


	4. Plain and Simple

Chapter Four: Plain and Simple

On the way to Miami…

Horatio looked over at Robin, she had her elbow resting on the side door and was looking out of the window. Her eyes squinting from the rush of warm air.

"You might wanna get some sleep now, because once we get there I doubt you'll find the chance."

She sat back in the seat, "I think I'll be alright."

It was quiet for a minute, then Horatio remembered something Speed had told him on the phone, "At the crime lab, they found mascara on the body of Sally Kirsten--the little girl. With that and the blood smear, we should be able to start a pretty good analysis. I'm sure they've got a DNA sample from the smeared blood by now, so our next job is to find who it belongs to."

"Mascara? Maybe she was playing dress-up before leaving the house."

"I don't think so…it was applied cleanly, not just thrown on."

"Just eye makeup? Nothing else?"

Horatio shook his head, "That's it."

Robin rubbed her face, sighing and resting her head against the soft padding of the seat. 

"I got you a hotel room that's right by the crime lab. It's a real nice one, Hotel Inter-Continental," Horatio said, trying to keep Robin from getting too stressed out.

"What? You _already_ booked me a hotel room? What if I'd have told you that I wouldn't help out?"

Horatio smirked, still staring ahead at the dark road, "Robbie, I know you…and you'd _never_ say no to me."

"That's not true! I've said 'no' to you before!" Robin chuckled, trying to convince him.

He simply raised his eyebrows, showing his usual, casual expression. She hit his arm playfully, "Horatio! Don't _even_ bring that up!"

Horatio liked hearing her laugh again. But as soon as he heard his cell phone chime, he knew the humor wouldn't last much longer.

"Horatio," he said, flipping open the cell.

"Where _are _you? We've found our second…or, our _first_ victim, technically," Speed started. "Vicki Trenton, 32 years old, Caucasian. She's got dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Alexx reported that the woman was shot with the same bullet type as little Sally."

"Anything else in common between the two?"

"Yeah," Speed stated uncomfortably, "You remember the heart-shaped cut on Sally's shoulder? Well, our newest victim has one as well."

Robin watched worriedly as Horatio rubbed his forehead.

"And Horatio…there's something else. The woman's face was cleaned of all makeup, except for some sort of lip-gloss. I haven't figured out if that has anything to do with the case or not, but usually women wear more than just one layer or one type of makeup," Speed finished.

"Alright…I'm almost there. Just keep looking for _anything_ that could give us more of a lead. Remember, we overlooked _one thing _last time, and it was the key to finding Miss Vicki. We _can't_ make that mistake again."

"Right, I'll get right on it," he hung up.

Horatio clipped the phone shut, trying to hide how much it was bothering him. Robin was waiting for him to explain.

He looked over at her, confirming plainly, "We've found whose blood was on Sally Kirsten's clothes."

Robin understood, knowing that the rest of the ride home would be long…and quiet.

**Alright! I've got the first layout to the story! I'm sorry for taking so long to post this chapter, but thinking up conversations between Horatio and Robin while in the car was harder than I thought! I'm trying really hard to whip out a few leads (in the case) for the next chapter, so just keep posted! Oh yeah! Thanks to everyone who've been giving me reviews. I really appreciate it! : ) **


	5. Pulling it Together

Chapter Five: Pulling it Together

About 12:15am :

"Alright Alexx, talk to me," Horatio said as he and Robin quickly walked inside the morgue.

"Alexx Woods? I'm Robin Elde, nice to finally meet you," Robin greeted.

"Good to know we've got some extra help on this case. Welcome aboard," Alexx said, smiling.

All three walked over to a couple of bodies laying on shiny, silver tables. Alexx pulled back the first sheet, revealing the cold, emotionless face of the young Sally Kirsten.

"As you can see…there's an exit wound right here, made by the bullet of a 9mm pistol," she pointed to a ragged tear in the girl's chest. "You probably already knew this, but the angle shows that our Sally was already in the niche when she was shot…sweetheart, you never had a chance, did you…"

Robin watched Alexx stroke the girl's hair, she was sort of confused at first, but soon realized that Alexx was simply treating her the way she should be treated--as a person, and not just some piece of a crime scene.

Alexx continued, "There's nothing special about the way the heart was cut into either one of the victims' shoulders, and it looks as if it was done with a normal Swiss pocket knife. The brand of eye makeup used on Sally's eyes was Clinique full potential mascara--No. 1, color was black."

"And the lip gloss?" Horatio asked.

Alexx pulled down the white cover off of the next victim's face, "Vicki's lip gloss is actually Maybelline lip polish--'high shine color'. Only thing connecting it with the mascara is that they're just inexpensive, convenience-store brands."

"Where was the body found?" Robin asked.

"Vicki's body was found huddled against a tree, hidden in a nearby park--spatter shows she was facing the tree when she was shot. The bullet, like it did with Sally, was directed right into the spinal cord."

"Did you get the time of death?" Horatio said, making mental notes of all he was being told.

"It might not be the most accurate, but judging from her liver temperature and the reported temperature of the area when she was found, the time of death was about eleven p.m., which was the same estimate for Sally's time of death nearly a day later," Alexx said, covering the body up again. "That was about all I could find for now. You'll have to check with Speed for the rest."

"Thanks, Alexx," Horatio said, nodding his head.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Robin. You take care," Alexx said sweetly.

"Thank you, I will," Robin smiled back.

* * * * *

On the way to the crime lab, Horatio thought out loud, "Okay, if we've got a murder in a park, chances are there were footprints or maybe reports of shots being heard."

"Yeah, but if it was that deep in the park, and that late at night, how good would those chances be?" she responded.

"That's what my good friend Tim Speedle is about to tell us," Horatio commented, entering the room.

"Horatio, finally! Huh? Who's this?" Speed said, looking at Horatio's company.

"Robin Elde, former CSI," she introduced herself.

"An old friend of Horatio's?"

She nodded, "Yeah, we worked together a little."

"Come check out what I've got here," Speed walked past Horatio, raising his eyebrows and slipping him a teasing glance.

"There were some matching cloth fibers found inside the bullet wound of each victim, indicating that a towel or rag was wrapped around the barrel in order to muffle the sound. Gun goes off, bullet pulls a piece of the material right along with it," Speed said, pulling up a microscope.

After looking through the microscope, Robin remarked, "So there were no reports of hearing gunshots?"

Speed nodded, "Right."

"Anything else? What about Vicki's clothes?" Horatio asked, remembering the blood difference on Sally's.

"Checked it, but it was her own. No extra clues this time. Also, there was hardly any evidence at all at the crime scene. I heard you say something about footprints when you were coming in…there were _none_. Not even prints from the victim! The ground was dry, no way for it to pick them up," Speed said, upset that he wasn't able to give them much info.

"Okay, we can still work with what you've given us. You have the photos from the crime scene?" Horatio asked.

"Uh-huh, here," Speed picked them up from a nearby desk.

"Great," Horatio stated. "Robin, we can stop at the hotel so you can unpack. We can take a look at the pictures while we're there too."

"Sure. Nice to meet you Mr. Speedle," Robin smiled.

"Just call me Speed!" he said, watching her step out of the lab.

**There ya have it, chapter five! Hopefully, I got all the forensics-y stuff at least half-way believable! Chapter six will be up soon, okay? Thanks for reading!**


	6. All of my Love

Chapter Six: All of my Love

At the hotel…

Robin plopped herself down on the huge, soft bed, "Wow…this place really _is _nice! It's so comfy!"

Horatio was standing by the television, checking each channel to see how they were reporting the progress of the crime. Robin rolled onto her stomach, also listening to what they had to say.

After seeing a very familiar reporter, by the name of Enrique Rayos, show his face on the television, Horatio quickly turned it off. That was one person that he just didn't need to see at the moment. 

Robin sat up, pulling the folder in front of her, "You ready to start?"

"Let's see what they got."

* * * * *

"Okay, we've read through _all _the papers and looked at _all _the pictures," Horatio started.

Robin finished for him, "Now all we have to do is find some connections."

"Alexx said that both victims had the same time of death, only on different days. That's a start--there might be some reason behind it."

"Maybe something happened at that time that was traumatizing or had effected the killer in some negative way."

"Right. Another similarity was that both victims were shot from behind--at the base of their neck. Not only were they facing away from the killer, but judging by the angle, they were also either kneeling or sitting on the ground," Horatio observed while flipping through the pictures again.

"That usually signifies that the killer feels guilty--he can't look at their faces," Robin said.

"But he'd still need to look at them if he put that makeup on, right?"

"Oh yeah," Robin hesitated. "…and why are they always near the ground? Something so that the killer can feel stronger or feel like he's in charge?"

"It doesn't make sense though…why would he feel guilty if he was doing this for a feeling of power in the first place?"

Robin stood up and walked over to the hotel window, sliding it open and allowing the fresh air to flow inside. She knelt down, resting her arms on the pale white frame and looking out at the clear, star-filled sky.

Horatio followed, "Hey, you gunna be alright?"

She let out a quick laugh, "I don't remember it being this hard!"

"Don't let it get to you," Horatio showed her that calm smile she used to love. "So what? We've got a little block. Take fifteen minutes--we'll go to the lobby and grab a drink or something, alright?"

"…Yeah, sounds like a good idea," Robin said, smiling.

* * * * *

The room was dark, lit only by select colors of neon lights while medium-sized palm trees adorned the outline of the room.

Horatio had his hands around the base of an empty beer mug, sliding it back and forth across the rings of water that had formed on the small tabletop. Robin had just caught her breath from a healthy laugh--remembering a time when she and Horatio were out collecting evidence, and she had slipped on some mossy rocks, falling into a huge puddle of murky, muddy water.

"I hate to spoil your fun, but you ready to head back yet?" Horatio said, looking at her flushed face.

She giggled again, "Yeah…before I get carried away."

He smiled, "Alright, let's get going."

They walked through the now partially-crowded room, following a small hallway that lead to the elevator. A man passed by, when Robin lost her footing and bumped into him.

"I'm sorry! I'm just a little clumsy," she apologized, looking up at him.

He simply nodded, "Don't worry about it."

* * * * *

Back in the hotel room, it was now about 2:30am…

Horatio and Robin were both sitting on the bed the way they had been before: staring at pictures and filing through papers. They were still left with no extra clues--it didn't matter how many times they looked over the information, nothing ever seemed to click.

Robin broke the silence, "Um…Horatio?"

"Yeah?" he looked up temporarily.

"…it's more than just the killer's signature," she said, examining the close-ups.

Horatio raised his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation. Robin crawled closer to show him the pictures again, "The heart--significant for life, but it also symbolizes affection. Sooo…we could have two leads: either he's using the heart to show that he has control over the lives of his victims, or…"

Horatio looked at her, his expression content and his voice was soft, "…he's putting tabs on the things that he loves."

Robin felt her face getting warm with Horatio so close. When he glanced at her again, she suddenly felt her heart racing. He asked, "You okay? You look a little red."

She turned towards Horatio, leaning in and giving him a quick peck on the lips. He didn't react, allowing Robin to look into those deep-blue eyes, and slowly move in to give him a lasting kiss.

As their lips gently pressed together, Robin began to think about the last night she and Horatio had spent together--the night she had decided to leave the CSI business. Still only a rookie, Robin was chosen to be partnered with Horatio Caine on a few smaller cases. They worked well together, and were soon assigned to a mind-boggling task: a seemingly psychological case that required more than physical evidence to solve. It became too much for Robin to handle, and in coming to Horatio for advice, his kind attitude towards her seemed to elevate feelings of affection in both of them. Robin was never able to forget how she simply left him behind that night, and was now taking the chance to show him how she truly felt throughout the years--whether they were side-by-side or miles apart…

__

The abrupt jingle of Horatio's cell phone caused her concentration, and the kiss, to break. He quietly glimpsed at her before walking across the room to answer the call; Robin managed a smile, softly pressing her lips together.

Horatio cleared his throat, "Yeah?"

It was Speed. He became hesitant, "Horatio…bad news. We've got another hit at the Hallandale Beach Apartments: guy came home from a late night at work to find his girlfriend dead on the sofa. He reported a shot to the back and a heart-shaped cut on the woman's shoulder…"

"Okay, we'll be right there," Horatio said before closing the phone.

Robin's heart dropped as Horatio added, "…victim number three."

**First of all, I just want to thank everyone who've been giving me reviews! I'm so happy that you all like my writing! Now, I just want to go over a couple things. I was asked if Calleigh would be in the story, and yeah, she will be! I'm planning on putting her in the next chapter when the CSIs are checking out the Hallandale Apartments. Um…okay, next topic. I'm sorry for making this chapter long and partially confusing, but I wanted to get in some of that chemistry between Robin and Horatio that I had mentioned earlier. I think someone also wanted to know more about Robin, so I stuck in a quick background for her as well. And finally, did I get the name of that annoying reporter right? Enrique Rayos? Please keep telling me what you think, I really appreciate getting good reviews from my readers!**


	7. Check it Out

**Before starting chapter seven, I think I should mention that Hallandale Apartments and ECOS inc. are both real places in Florida, but all the characters that I place there are totally fictional, whether they're the CSIs or the minor characters. Another thing is, I have absolutely _no_ idea how late or how long people work at ECOS inc., but it was just a random company that I chose for the story. So, all that fun stuff aside, enjoy chapter seven!**

Chapter Seven: Check it Out

Horatio and Robin pulled up to a towering, white apartment building. The colored lights of nearby police cars alternately flickered, staining the walls with flashes of blue and red. The curious murmur of the gathering crowd followed the pair as they stepped inside the still-open main door.

After a hasty tread up a few flights of stairs, they reached the crime scene--room 68. Horatio was the first to step inside, checking out the surroundings. Noticing that Alexx was crouched near the body, he approached her.

"Oh, Horatio, glad you're here," she said as she looked up at him. "Meet Jennifer Lewis…poor thing was found face-down on the sofa."

She had dark brown, nearly black hair, and was dressed only in an oversized t-shirt--most likely belonging to her boyfriend. 

Speed stepped in from the bedroom. His voice was tired, "Hey. Horatio, you might wanna have a chat with Jason Burgh. He's in the other room."

"The boyfriend?" he asked, standing.

Speed nodded, "Yeah."

As Horatio stepped into the bedroom, Speed went up to Robin, "How's it goin? The case, I mean."

"You tell me," she said, looking down at Jennifer, then back at Speed. "Actually, I think we've got a possible motive. You know the heart-shaped cuts? Well, there's a good likelihood that he's using it as some sort of label…and maybe whatever part of the person he puts makeup on is the part that he likes the most." 

Speed shook his head, "God, how disgusting is that…"

"Never see the same thing twice," she said quietly, trying to lift his spirits a little.

He walked back to Alexx, "So, what've ya got?"

"After noticing signs of rigor mortis, I processed an abdominal stab to get more details--liver temperature showed to be 91.8 degrees. So if her body temperature was normal, then the time of death would be roughly about…eleven o'clock," Alexx said, realizing that the time was remaining consistent.

"Alright, so we _definitely _need to pay attention to this. Find a connection or something," Robin thought out loud, excusing herself to go talk with Horatio.

She stepped through the modern-styled kitchen, then into an open lounge room. Once there, Robin tapped lightly on the closed bedroom door.

She looked at the man sitting beside Horatio--his face was like stone, shocked at such an unexpected event. The suit he was wearing was no longer tidy, and his appearance now eerie and unpleasant.

Robin spoke quietly, "Horatio, could I see you for a second?"

He nodded to Burgh, "Excuse me, I'll be right back."

Horatio stepped out, closing the door behind him, "Yeah? What do you need?"

"Um, Alexx just processed Miss Lewis's time of death…it was eleven o'clock."

"Okay, so _that_ means we've got to start keeping a lookout around that time…and we're going to need some help. I want you to go talk to Mr. Speedle over there and tell him to give Calleigh Duquesne a call. This case is gunna need all the support we can get," Horatio instructed.

"Sure…What's the scoop on Jason Burgh?"

"Says he was at work the entire time. Didn't know anything had happened until he got home…you can't hear a silenced gunshot," Horatio started. "We just need to get an alibi, y'know--check with a few co-workers who also stayed late, see if he was actually there."

Robin nodded, "I'll go and check it out."

Horatio was about to step back inside, when Robin momentarily stopped him, "Oh, wait a sec'. I wanted to tell you something real quick…about earlier today. I just…"

Horatio interrupted her with a light smile, "Let's get this case over with first…don't worry about it."

Robin returned the smile, looking over her shoulder as she backtracked, "Thanks, Horatio…"

She went back into the room where Alexx and Speed were still closely examining the body, addressing him, "Speed, Horatio said for you to call a…Calleigh Duquesne? Says we should start posting people on a sort of lookout, and that we needed more help."

He pulled out a cell phone from his pocket, "No prob."

"Great, I've gotta go check out Mr. Burgh's alibi--see if its feasible or not."

Robin chuckled when noticing Speed, with the cell phone pressed against his ear, mouthing 'have fun!' as she stepped out.

* * * * *

ECOS inc., Boca Raton, FL

After almost an hour drive from Miami, Robin reached Jason Burgh's workplace. Stretching her arms above her head, she approached the entrance. She went up a few floors, searching for Burgh's office.

"Excuse me…Brian Schul?" Robin asked a man sitting in front of a computer. 

"Yes Miss? Can I help you with something?" he asked politely as he looked up at her.

"My name is Robin Elde--I'm investigating a murder case and I'll need to ask you a few questions," she introduced, pulling out a small pad of paper.

His eyes widened, losing the calm feeling from just seconds before. Schul stood up, his height slightly taller than Robin, "A murder? What are you talking about? Who was it?"

"I need to know if Jason Burgh was in his office around eleven o'clock tonight," Robin said.

"Jason Burgh…oh yeah, he was here. Did he have something to do with it?" Schul asked obviously.

"I'm sorry, I can't reveal any other information. Was there anyone else in the office to verify that he was still here at that time?"

"Sure, you can ask Kim Chow. She went into his office a few times tonight."

Robin smiled, "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Schul."

* * * * *

Back at the crime scene (Hallandale Apartments)

"Hey guys, heard you needed my help," Calleigh Duquesne said casually as she strode into the brightly lit apartment.

"Calleigh, hi," Speed said, going up to her. "So, you caught up on the details yet?"

"Speed, you underestimate me!" she said with her sweet southern accent. Calleigh then looked around, "So, where's Horatio?"

"H? He's waiting for Robin to come back with the details on Burgh's alibi."

"Robin?" Calleigh's face was inquisitive.

Speed chuckled, "Guess you missed one of the major details. Robin's one of Horatio's 'old friends'. She's helping out on the case."

Horatio then walked through the kitchen and into the main room, "Good, Calleigh, you made it…alright, you guys ready to head back to the lab and start on that evidence?"

"Yeah. What about Robin?" Speed asked.

He stood with his hands resting on his hips, "Just called. Alibi checks out, so once again, we're left with close to nothing."

Calleigh commented, "Guess we really gotta get crackin'."

**There ya go! I know it was just a short spot right now, but Calleigh's finally in the story! I already started the next chapter, and it pretty much just includes Speed and Calleigh. I think they'd make a cute couple too, so I'm making them a little more flirtatious. Chapter eight will be up shortly!**


	8. Going Through the Motions

Chapter Eight: Going Through the Motions

The next morning…

At the crime lab, Calleigh was intensely studying a bullet and pictures of the bullet wounds. 

"Got anything?" Speed asked as he walked through the doors and slipped on a lab coat.

She peeked up from the microscope, "Good morning to you too!"

He chuckled, "Sorry, guess I've been skipping a few beats. This case has really been grinding me."

"Well, I can't say too much _yet_. The bullet used to kill the victim was 9mm--same as the bullets used to kill our first victims. Alexx also found some cloth fibers in Jennifer Lewis's entrance wound, so I got the fibers found in Vicki and Sally's wounds too…and I was hoping you could run a comparison?" Calleigh smiled humorously, holding up a few small containers.

Speed took them from her, "Sure, you caught me in a good mood!"

"Oh yeah?" she asked, looking back into the microscope.

He plopped himself down into a swivel-chair, pushing himself to Calleigh's side, "Yep, I got to pick up _four whole hours_ of sleep last night!" 

She rolled her eyes, then gave a playful shove to Speed's chair, "Hey, where's Horatio? I thought he'd be here by now."

Speed didn't respond, he just pulled out fiber number one and set it under the 'scope.

Calleigh turned around, looking at him suspiciously, "What?"

Speed remained silent, teasing Calleigh. The curiosity was killing her, "Okay…I'm obviously missing out on something."

"No, H gave me a call earlier. Said that he was going to Robin's hotel room…_again_…" he said, smirking and switching to thread number two.

"I swear, sometimes you act like you're still in high school," Calleigh sighed, going back to work. "You said they haven't seen each other in almost three years! I think it's sweet that Horatio is spending time with her."

"But it kinda feels like he's spending more time with _her_ than he does on this _case_…I mean, I think it's nice too--but H has kinda been one step behind on this: taking over a half an hour to get to the crime scene, not being the first of us to know about the victims…y'know?" Speed commented with concern as he examined the final cloth fiber.

She nodded, "I understand what you mean. Maybe Horatio has more than just the case on his mind right now."

"You're right," Speed said. He spun around, changing the subject, "Okay, I just checked out the fibers. Fibers one and two were from Sally Kirsten and Vicki Trenton--they were a perfect match. So our killer most likely used the same rag or cloth to silence the gun. But then I compared the fiber found in Jennifer Lewis's entrance wound, and it's not a match to the others."

Calleigh shrugged, "Maybe the other cloth had too many holes or he just decided to use something else?"

Speed bit the edge of his lip, "I don't think so…the two matching fibers are plain, white cotton, or natural fibers--like what you'd use for making a dish towel or wash cloth. But the third fiber, even though it is still natural, is silk."

"You think he might have taken one of Miss Lewis's blouses to do the job?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out. We can go back to the apartment and see what kind of clothes she owns. If the killer took it with him, then we can at least find another blouse to compare the colors or the way the fibers were weaved together."

* * * * *

Calleigh and Speed headed over to the Hallandale Apartments to search for more evidence. When reaching room 68, Calleigh kneeled down, taking out a fingerprint brush and latent print powder. She lightly covered the knob, pulling out sticky tape to transfer the prints.

"Got anything?" Speed asked as he watched her.

"Yeah…but they're either overlapping or partials. I don't usually hear of people cleaning off their doorknobs that often, so who knows how many different prints there are."

Speed chuckled, "Let's check out the inside."

They opened the door, carefully stepping into the untouched room. Calleigh looked closely at the couch--the blood was still stained on the material. 

"It's a forward splatter, blood followed the bullet from the exit wound," she said matter-of-factly. "There were no signs of a struggle, so the killer probably just walked right in and did what he came to do."

"The door wasn't locked?"

"No, but Jennifer might have just fallen asleep while watching TV and forgot to lock the door, making it an easy entrance."

"Wait a second…if he just waltzed in and shot her, that doesn't leave any time for him to go into the bedroom and take one of the blouses," Speed reasoned.

Calleigh sighed, "You're right…but he could have taken one from the dryer or washing machine. Let's check it out just in case."

They followed the familiar path--across the living room, through the kitchen, and into the lounge, where the bedroom door stood open.

Calleigh collected prints from the doorknob, hoping that the selection of prints would now be narrowed down. Speed peeked inside the closet, running his hand along some of the dresses and blouses. When pushing aside a few of them, one certain dress was slightly slipping off of the plastic hanger. He examined it even closer, noticing a tiny stain.

After photographing it from a few angles, Speed took a swab to get a sample. He pulled out a small bottle of a blood-indicator called phenolphthalein, putting a few drops onto the swab.

"Hey Calleigh, take a look at this," a smile spread across his face as he showed her the now pinkish-colored swab.

She walked over to him, looking at the swab and then at the dress, "Blood on the dress?"

Speed nodded, "Sure is. It wasn't used as the silencer, but it's still a good piece of evidence. Take a look at the way the blood was smeared near the hem."

"Kinda looks like it was being rubbed between someone's fingers. Was he testing the fabric?" Calleigh looked at Speed with her large, friendly eyes.

"Chances are that he took off his rubber gloves to get a feel…and I doubt that he wasn't nervous after killing someone, so there's a good chance that we can pick up traces of perspiration."

She smiled, finishing Speed's thought, "And perspiration means DNA."

"Bingo! Let's bag it and get it back to the lab."

**I'm sorry that it took so long to get chapter eight posted! The past few days I've been stuck in the house because of allergies and an ear infection, but I couldn't get myself out of bed to whip out any more chapters. I want to give a load of credit to BlackRaven for giving me a lot of tips on fibers and fiber analysis, and also encouraging me to put in more of the evidence collecting as well, so: thank you, BlackRaven! : ) More to come soon!**


	9. It's All in the Evidence

Chapter Nine: It's All in the Evidence

In the coroner's office…

Alexx sipped at her cup of coffee, trying to keep awake and alert after pulling an all-nighter. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she stood over Jennifer Lewis's still body. 

"Sweetie…just when you put your guard down…" Alexx said as she shook her head, her face sympathetic. 

Before turning away, she noticed that Jennifer's face was _still_ rosy. Alexx leaned down to get a better look, squinting slightly. She noticed that there was still a soft layer of makeup on the mid-section of the woman's face: a light foundation covered with a tiny bit of rouge. Alexx then quickly headed for her cell phone, dialing Horatio.

"Yeah?" he answered plainly.

"Horatio, I just noticed that Jennifer has a small layer of makeup on her face. It might be helpful since it follows the pattern of the other victims," she commented.

"Okay, thanks Alexx," he said before ending the call.

* * * * *

A little while later, Horatio stepped into the room with Robin following close behind, "Alexx, show me what you've got."

She went up to the body, moving the covers slightly past the shoulders where the shape of the heart was shown, "I couldn't find anything new or different about the cut--no useful evidence or hints either."

Robin watched as Alexx brushed some dark hair from the woman's face. Horatio asked, "You said that you found more makeup on her face? That it followed a pattern?"

She nodded then pointed to the area around the victim's nose, "Yeah, there's a very light layer of mascara covering the center of her face from her cheekbones to her nose. A soft cover of blush was also put on to give her face a livelier tone…so to speak."

"So now all the main facial features have been marked by the killer…the eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks…you think he'll keep going through this cycle over and over again, or will he move on to other parts of the body?" Robin questioned uncomfortably.

"As of right now, there aren't any signs that can give us a lead on that. Maybe we should start thinking about who this guy is…and catch him before he can start a 'cycle'," Horatio reasoned with her, his voice low. He looked back at Alexx, "Thanks, we'll keep you posted on what's going on."

She simply nodded, covering up the body as both Robin and Horatio exited the cold room.

* * * * *

Tim Speedle looked up as Horatio, accompanied by the young Robin, pushed through the doors, "Hey, H. Long time no see!"

Horatio seemed to have missed the joke, "How's the investigation coming?"

"Actually, I'm just getting started on some of the details. Calleigh and I went back to the scene of the crime after Alexx found a new kind of fiber in the Lewis woman's bullet wound."

"So what did you find?" Horatio asked, interested.

"Well, Calleigh lifted some prints--she's getting those to Erik right now. Um…I was looking through the victim's closet for silk blouses or dresses that I could use for a comparison. _But!_ I found more than bargained for…there was a blood smear near the hem of a dress. The killer was feeling the fabric for some reason." Speed reached for the bag, "Here--right in the corner."

Horatio examined it closely, Robin leaning in beside him. "Were you able to pull any prints or DNA from it?"

Speed flashed a skeptic face, "Like I said--I'm just getting started. I wanna get all the fiber analysis out of the way first."

Robin interrupted, "Hey, if the killer took off the gloves _before_ touching the dress…then why is there still blood on it?"

Speed glanced at Horatio, who showed a confident smirk, "That means that he came in contact with the victim…and we know that he puts the makeup on them _after_ committing the crime…"

There were a couple seconds of lasting silence, until Robin realized what Horatio was getting at, "You mean that there might actually be more evidence in the cosmetics?"

Speed nodded, "I get it! He'd need to turn the body over to put on the makeup--and since there was blood on his hands, it means the gloves were already off when he did it. As for the makeup--The foundation traps oils from the skin…and if the killer touched Jennifer Lewis's face while putting on the makeup, some of the oils from his hands would _also_ get trapped."

"And there's your comparison," Horatio stated, impressed with Speed's decision.

"Great, I'll stop by the morgue as soon as I'm finished with checking out the fibers," Speed said as he went back to the microscope.

"Don't worry about it, Horatio and I can go for ya," Robin offered.

As they headed out of the lab once again, Horatio turned to give Speed a quick word of advice--knowing that he was getting frustrated, "…I know it's a lot of work, but you can pull through--this case is tough. Just keep at it, okay?"

Speed looked over his shoulder, smiling contently, "Thanks, H."

Horatio nodded once, then exited the now-quiet crime lab. After a few steps, he turned to Robin, "I think we should give the crime scene another visit."

"Why? Speed just said that he and Calleigh combed through the place," Robin reasoned.

"I've got a feeling we can go one more step--literally."

She lowered her eyebrows, lost at what he was getting at. Once they were at the front door, Robin looked at him again, "Horatio, I thought we were gunna get the information about the cosmetics from Alexx?"

Horatio was silent--he enjoyed keeping Robin on her toes, feeling she worked best that way. As they stepped out into the beaming Miami sun, Horatio pulled out his sunglasses, setting them on the bridge of his nose. Robin held back a smile, peering from the corner of her eye at Horatio. His stern face, tightened eyes, and professional aura were always comforting to her. 

They approached the CSI Hummer--the massive vehicle always seemed to stick out like a sore thumb when on the road. Its silvery hue and boxy features always seemed to overpower all the other cars on the road.

Robin lifted herself inside, pulling the door closed after her, "So…it's back to the apartments?"

"Yep, I've got a feeling there's _one more_ person that can help us," Horatio said, turning the key to start the ignition.

Robin also pulled out a small pair of sunglasses. He chuckled when she imitated him--putting on and fashioning the glasses. She looked at him jokingly, "Okay, H…let's roll!" 


	10. Quality Time

Chapter Ten: Quality Time

After getting a tracing of some partial and full fingerprints, Calleigh brought them to a fellow co-worker, Erik Delko, to scan into the computer.

"I see Horatio pulled you into this case too, huh?" she smiled and handed him the tracings.

He nodded, taking them and saying sarcastically, "Yeah. Figured if all the rest of you guys were here, I should be helping out too."

Calleigh watched as Erik took select prints, starting with the complete ones, and began the investigation. AFIS took over from there--various features and values of the prints would then be compared to millions and millions of other prints, until a handful of potentials could be detected.

"Well, I've gotta get back to Speed--call me if you find something good, okay?"

"Sure, no problem," Erik said, directing his attention back to the prints he had been handed.

* * * * *

Horatio stood in front of the apartment building with his hands resting on his hips, the lapels of his jacket pulled against the backsides of his wrists. The sun was shining brightly, accompanied by a cozy breeze. As his gaze trailed along the entrance, below the yellow police tape, Horatio's mind was whirling.

He heard the slam of the Hummer's door, looking back to see Robin appear from behind it. The sun reflected sharply off of the silver evidence-collecting kit as it swayed from side-to-side in her grip. Robin's eyebrows were low and eyes were squinting when she casually stepped up beside Horatio, "Now, explain to me…what brought you back here so suddenly?"

She followed him as he passed under the tape and into the tan-carpeted hallway, eyes still directed towards the ground. Horatio said, "Good thing about a fancy place like this is that they can afford to carpet the entire building."

He sat down on one of stairs, pausing for a moment, "…it stays pretty clean."

Robin folded her arms across her chest, hearing her voice echo in the nearly-empty space--her voice bouncing from wall to wall, "Yeah. I'm sure there's a janitor or a cleaning-lady that takes care of it all."

"Uh-huh," Horatio started, "how often do you think they clean?"

She shrugged, thinking about where he was going with this conversation, "I dunno…once a day, maybe every other day."

"…and no one besides the police and CSIs have passed through here since yesterday. I'd say we should be able to pick up some prints," Horatio stated confidently.

"Footprints? You sure? I'd think that they'd have showed up _inside _the room if his shoes were that dirty," Robin fit herself next to Horatio on the semi-wide step.

"True…there weren't any inside the room. He could've wiped his shoes off just before entering, which wouldn't help either. But the plus side is: we can check a few yards from either side of room 68 for prints that could indicate anyone going into or leaving the residence. Then, we take all the shoes from Jason Burgh and the victim…we'd also need to get the prints from the shoes that the police and CSIs were wearing that day… then we can compare them to any traces that we find. Whichever prints don't match could very well belong to the killer."

Robin smiled, "Horatio…you never fail to impress me. Why don't we try to find whoever cleans the place and see how long it's been since the last scrub-down? Might narrow the time frame a little more."

"Alright. Let's get the evidence first, then we can go ahead and ask the main office."

Robin stood up, lifting the silver box along with her, "Sounds like a plan."

They followed the now familiar stairway up to room 68. Careful of where he was walking, Horatio took the evidence kit from Robin and kneeled on the floor.

He decided on using the electrostatic dust-print lifter. After slipping on the usual latex gloves, the next step was to set out a Mylar sheet and flatten it with a rubber roller in order to collect the maximum amount of dust and prints. Robin, remembering the process, assisted Horatio by taking an alligator clip that was connected to a gray box and attached it to one side of the sheet. With the other hand, she moved a probe to the opposite side of the Mylar sheet. Horatio anticipated the voltmeter, which was also located on the gray box, to spike. 

It did as expected, and Robin took the probe and the clip from the sheet. She pulled off her sunglasses and nestled them in her pocket, watching carefully as Horatio lifted the sheet from it's surface, revealing a few nearly similar footprints. He looked up at her, his eyes remaining knowledgeable, "…And we have step one…let's see how far we can get with the rest."

It would be a long process--moving from one area to another, repeating the procedure over and over again until the entire area had been cleared. While working, neither Horatio nor Robin talked much, but the silence was comfortable. Every once and a while there would be a glance from one or a smile from the other. 

All this busy work made Robin feel at home--it kept her thinking, and also kept her close to Horatio. But it was becoming harder and harder for Robin to realize that once this case was over, she would have to go back to Captiva Island while Horatio remained in Miami. The idea of not seeing him again for years apart was one that she didn't want to grasp… 

**First things first: I wanna say thank you sooo much to Yaba! You've been there rootin' me on since chapter one! I'm very happy that you like my story! Okay, back to my little end-of-chapter explanations. This was another one of those learn-more-about them chapters. Horatio is still keeping his cool, while Robin is following his lead and doing the same. I've got a good twist planned for the end, but I'm trying to stretch it as far as I can (I absolutely love writing this story!). Next chapter is gunna be another sciency one, but will be between Calleigh and Speed, since H and Robin will be busy working at the hotel. I won't spoil any more fun surprises, so talk to y'all later!** 


	11. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Just wanted to mention real quick about something I wrote in chapter ten. For the use of the electronic dust-print lifter, I used a novel by Max Allan Collins called "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation--Double Dealer" as my resource. Enjoy chapter eleven!**

Chapter Eleven: Pieces of the Puzzle 

Back in the lab…

"Hey, take a look at this," Speed caught Calleigh's attention as she walked into the room.

"You find a match for that silk fiber?" 

"Not exactly, but I _did_ take a closer look at how it was weaved together, then compared it to the weaving of the cotton fibers from whatever was used as the gun silencer. Since the cotton was put together sort of sloppily, it backs up my idea that it was a simple dish towel. But then when I checked out the weaving patterns of the silk, it turns out that it was woven together _much_ more carefully--this is high quality stuff, here," Speed said, holding the thread up for Calleigh to see.

She smirked and nodded, "Glad to see how passionate you are about your fabrics! What else can you tell me?"

He chuckled, "Actually, I did a few searches and found out that it's called Atlas silk. Folklore says that an entire yard of this stuff could be strung through a tiny ring to show how fine it is. And, of course, things with a story like this always have a pretty good price to them as well."

"Ooo! Someone likes to shop in luxury, huh?" Calleigh said playfully.

"Yeah, says that this silk was mostly used on either formal or bridal wear," Speed finished.

"So did it match to any of the blouses or clothes in the victim's house?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, no. On the other hand, I checked around for bridal shops that either sell or have sold certain clothing made from Atlas, and it led me to a bridal shop in Delray Beach called Alfred Angelo."

"Great! So we've just got one location?"

"Hold on a sec, I'm one step ahead of you. I made a call to the shop, and found out that they discontinued the line of Atlas dresses about two years ago. I guess that it was getting too expensive to use."

"Okay, and I'm guessing that you didn't by any chance get a list of customers…"

"We're on our own from here," Speed said, sitting back in the chair.

"Alright," Calleigh said, "Thanks for checking those out for me, Speed. You did a great job…but now we still need to work on the DNA that was found on Jennifer's dress."

"About that--turns out that we've already had a fairly good comparison. As soon as H and Robin get back from the morgue, I can show you what I mean."

"Horatio? When was he here?" Calleigh asked, slightly surprised.

"About an hour and a half ago. Said he'd talk to Alexx and get a sample from the cosmetics."

She looked at him doubtingly, "I don't know if it would have taken _that_ long. You think, maybe, something came up?"

Speed shrugged, picking up his cell phone, "Dunno…guess I can call and see what's up."

The phone remained silent for a fraction of a second before letting out the first ring…and a second…then he heard Horatio's voice.

"Yeah?" Horatio was still kneeling on the ground, pressing down yet another Mylar sheet, with the phone wedged between his shoulder and his ear.

"Horatio? Where are you?"

"I'm back at the Hallandale Apartments with Robin. I wanted to get there as soon as possible before anything outside of the room was cleaned," he said before nodding to Robin, indicating that she could attach the alligator clip to one edge of the sheet.

"Outside of the room?"

"Latent prints--the place to find them. At first I thought it might not work out since so many people walk through the hallways, until I remembered how clean it had looked the first time I was there. Turns out there were a lot of prints--but as soon as we get rid of the prints made by CSIs and police…"

Speed smiled, "…put the remaining prints into SLIP and we've got ourselves a few more suspects. What about that possible DNA sample from the victim's foundation makeup?"

"Not to worry, Speed. I gave Alexx a call on my way here."

"Great, I'll go check it out."

Horatio caught him before hanging up, "Before you go, there's one more thing that could help you out a little more."

"Sure, what is it?" Speed asked.

"Why don't you try Cyanoacrylate fuming on the body? Might be able to actually pick up some prints off of the makeup as well."

"The super-glue method? Think I should try it out on the dress after getting another sample?"

"Do _everything_ you can…we don't want _anything_ left unexamined. This guy isn't gunna slip out of our hands," he said sternly.

"Right, I'll see what I can do," Speed pressed the glowing 'end' button on his cell, beginning to feel overwhelmed again.

Calleigh was still standing where she had been before, her arms folded in front of her, "So…?"

Speed inhaled deeply, "We've gotta fume the body--pick up any loose prints. I'm gunna get another DNA sample from the dress, then do the same. Hopefully we can pull something good and get it to Erik."

"Yeah," Calleigh agreed, "I'm sure he's itching for more to do!"

Speed walked over to a table where the bagged garment was awaiting him. He slipped it out of the package, setting it carefully on top of it's plastic cover. There were a few linen strips nearby, which he moistened with water and set over the now dark blood stain. Once they soaked up some of the remaining blood, Speed set it out to air dry.

"Okay, let's get Erik and then give Alexx a little visit."

Calleigh raised her eyebrows, showing him a small smile before heading out.

* * * * *

Alexx was standing beside the laid-out body, which was placed inside a soon-to-be airtight tank, and was accompanied by a small heater. She looked down at the corpse with her kind eyes, saying in a mothering voice, "Don't worry sweetie…you could be the final piece of the puzzle if this works out."

Calleigh stepped beside her, putting a few small drops of liquid super glue into a container, then setting it on top of the heater. The tank was sealed and the heater triggered.

As the glue was boiling, Erik explained what was going on, "Alright, to get the latent fingerprints, we needed something that could make them more visible. Since the methylcyanoacrylate--superglue--reacts to amino acids, fatty acids, and proteins from the fingerprints, the familiar sticky, white substance will form around the ridges and details of the prints. The little fan just needs to keep the inside air circulating."

Once heated to the proper temperature, the glue would then evaporate into it's newly formed atmosphere. They all stood around the tank for several minutes, monitoring the progress.

"Guys, this could take up to a couple hours," Erik started. "If you wanna get any other work done, feel free--I'll keep an eye out for the prints." 

"Thanks, man. That sounds great, I'll check back with ya in a while," Speed said gratefully, glad that he had some extra time to work with the other evidence. By the time Horatio would get back, most of the evidence would be examined and they could start fresh from whatever new was found.

* * * * *

Calleigh and Speed were walking silently side-by-side through the maze of entangled hallways. All of a sudden, Calleigh brought up a surprising topic, "So, you _really_ think that Horatio likes this girl?"

Speed looked at her, his face nearly screamed 'I told you so!'. Instead, he broke it to her lightly, "I thought you said it was childish to jump to those kind of conclusions."

She rolled her eyes, smile spreading even larger as she said in a sing-song tone, "Well, don't you think it's kinda fun? I mean, Horatio is usually that _strong_, grounded figure that we all look up to. And now…we've found his soft side!" 

Speed chuckled at her wording, "Sounds like you're at an interview for the 'Horatio Caine' biography."

She stared at him accusingly, giving his arm a playful tap, "Joke _all_ you want…but you were the one who told me about it in the first place!" 

He sighed jokingly, "Yep, blame it aalll on Timothy Speedle…"

**Rock on! I've been able to crank out the chapters like crazy this week! Not much to say on this chapter, so I'll do my best to keep up the speedy writing! One quick note, BlackRaven was the one to help me out on most of the fiber analysis, and then I used cbs.com (the CSI:Miami website) for additional info. Thanks again!**


	12. Step by Step

Chapter Twelve: Step by Step

Robin, her choppy hair flipping against her wind-blushed face, was looking out of the side window of the Hummer as Horatio focused intently on the road ahead of him--watching as the yellow lines drew closer and closer, slipping off to the side just before another appeared. They had managed to lift several variations of prints--from women's high-heels to men's clunky work-shoes, and in all sorts of sizes as well. 

She leaned back inside, raising the window about halfway to reduce the noise, "Can't believe we were in there for over two hours! It felt like ten minutes! I guess time really _does_ fly when you're having fun."

"Believe me--the fun is _just_ starting."

Horatio pulled up in front of the Miami-Dade crime lab; it was about four in the afternoon. Robin slipped out of the vehicle, looking back at the dark gray asphalt--there was a layer of warped air suspended between it and the sky, looking like the coarse ripples of a wind-strewn ocean.

She scurried beside Horatio, brushing the perspiration from her forehead before stepping into the much cooler structure. To Robin it always seemed like one extreme from the other--outside, everything was always bright and the colors, along with the temperature, were warm; but once inside, the oranges and yellows of the ever-familiar city now instantly transformed into the silvers and grays of the reserved building.

"Horatio! Turns out there were no useable prints from the doorknob, but…," Calleigh caught them before they were able to enter the lab. She stopped to scope out Robin, this being her first look. 

"Robin Elde?" 

"Yeah," Robin nodded, "…you must be Calleigh Duquesne. Horatio mentioned you to me a few times."

Calleigh flashed a smile, "I'm so excited to finally meet you!"

Horatio gave her a suspicious look, but Calleigh simply reflected her smile towards him. Robin chuckled, "It's nice to meet you too, Calleigh! But…what were you starting to say a few seconds ago?"

"Oh! Right! I wanted to say that even though the prints from the apartment were pretty much useless--only matching Jason and the victim's--Erik _was_ able to pull some pretty good ones from the victim's body."

"You run 'em through AFIS yet?" Horatio asked.

She shook her head, "Waiting for you! Thought you'd wanna be there to see if we've got our guy."

"More than anything else," he said, smirking.

* * * * *

Nearly everyone was gathered around Erik, anticipating the results. Tracings of the prints had already been scanned into the system, the only step remaining was a simple click of the mouse.

…And that is exactly what Erik did. Once he clicked the "search" button, there would be nearly a hundred prints blinking on and off the screen every second; as each passed, the chances of finding the target grew better and better.

Finally, the screen paused--revealing the words "15 Possible Matches." To narrow it down even further, Erik outlined some of the more unique traits of the prints such as loops and whorls. Sure enough, when clicking "search" again, the words "Match Found" popped up.

"Alright…let's take a look," Horatio said.

A mug-shot of a tan, dark-haired man appeared in the upper right corner of the rap sheet. His eyes were light blue, the corners of his mouth peaking into a calm smile. Erik's eyes scoured the page before he read the name, "Steven Peters--was charged with assault and battering."

Speed chuckled, "Guy doesn't look like the usual criminal, does he?"

"Looks like he was more prepared for a portrait than anything else," Calleigh said, noticing the man's well-groomed appearance.

"But as we all know, looks _can_ be deceiving," Horatio advised.

"Right," Robin started, "Going back to the first victim that was found--the little girl. If a guy like this approached her, talked kindly to her, chances are that he could gain her trust in no time at all."

Erik shook his head, "Sick…"

Horatio's face was serious, "Kill 'em with kindness…"

"What about his shoe size?" Robin asked.

"Um…size 11. Why, you've got prints?" Erik questioned.

"Yeah, that should save us some time. Good job, guys," Horatio remarked. "Speed, Calleigh, think you'd be able to go over the footprints from the apartment? I want to hone in on Peters--it's time we gave this guy a _friendly_ little visit."

"Sure," the two commented simultaneously.

"Great. Give me a call the minute that you think you've found the right one. I want to see if there's any other information on this guy."

* * * * *

Once they got settled into the lab for what seemed like the thousandth time that week, Calleigh and Speed split the prints and got to work. At first it was easy--they shifted through the groups of Mylar sheets, finding prints that were either too big or too small. Calleigh smiled when she found a set of prints left behind by a pair of her favorite stilettos, soon setting it off to the side and continuing with the others.

After about forty-five minutes of searching and separating, there were nearly thirty full sets of prints that were size 11. In matching them up, there were five different styles of shoeprints. It took a while, but once Speed had called the officers who were at the crime scene, he was able to eliminate their prints--leaving him and Calleigh with the one thing they were looking for.

Speed held one up for her to see, "Here it is! Time to give Horatio the heads-up." 

He whipped out the cell phone, searching for "Caine" on the phone's screen, when it appeared he clicked the center button. First ring…second ring… and then after hearing the familiar voice, Speed gave him the news:

"Horatio, guess what I've got!"

"Good, now, I want you to check them out for any traces of soil or sand. Compare whatever you find to the samples of dirt from the park, and sand from the beach, just in case we've got any last doubts," Horatio instructed abruptly.

"You got it, boss," Speed said lightheartedly, pressing the 'END' button. He turned to Calleigh, "Orders from headquarters--we've gotta run a few tests."

She looked at the rows of sheets, "So…you want the left or right?"

**Hey guys! Hope my story is still catching people's interest! I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to ramble on. Anyways, did anyone see the CSI: Miami season finale? It was so exciting! I especially found it awesome that one of the characters at the end was named "Robyn" and was nicknamed "Robbie". That _totally_ made my day! Okay, okay, I know it's dorky that I get excited about something so stupid…but that's just how I am! : ) Well, thanks for the continuous reviews! Don't forget the bonus CSI: Miami this Friday!**


	13. Case Closed?

Chapter Thirteen: Case Closed?

It was barely after 3am: Horatio's eyes were distant as he stared at the glaring computer screen, searching for Steven Peters' possible location. The local police confirmed that he wasn't in his Venice Beach apartment. It was very possible that Peters was hiding out somewhere in Miami, waiting for the perfect time to make the next strike.

"Hey, I made us some coffee."

Horatio looked up to see Robin leaning against the doorframe, a coffee cup in either hand. She looked pretty casual in her light brown pants and white blouse. He nodded his head, inviting her in.

"You don't need to stay here with me, Robbie. I'll be alright," he said.

"You're _not_ alright, Horatio. Look at your eyes! You haven't slept in days--hell, you've hardly even blinked!" she handed him a cup of black coffee.

Horatio took it from her graciously, "I've done this long enough. I know how to handle things."

Robin was silent as Horatio took a sip of the steamy liquid. After setting it down, he looked at her, "What about _you_?…You doin' okay on this?"

She gave a humorless laugh, "It's been a while…and, strange enough, it actually feels _good _to be back…to be busy." There was another pause; Robin quickly looked away from Horatio's weary gaze, turning her attention towards the words plastered on the monitor, "Um, so, how's the search goin'?"

"He's in Miami…and he's close. Maybe staying in an old hotel or abandoned apartment building. No other choice but to keep a low profile."

"Don't you think he looks kinda familiar?" Robin said, noticing the rap sheet sitting beside Horatio's coffee cup.

"Peters?" Horatio said, his eyebrows lowering slightly.

She nodded, examining the features of the photographs, "I've seen this guy before…somewhere."

"Robin, are you sure?"

Another nod, "I can't put my finger on _where_, though."

"Then let's start with _when_. You think it was recent?" Horatio urged her to remember.

"Yeah, it was somewhere here--in Miami. And…I'm pretty sure I was with you when I saw him."

"Were we working? Was it at the Hallandale apartments, maybe?"

"No…no, I don't think so. It was…," here eyes widened, remembering the scene, "Horatio, it was at my hotel! Remember when we were in the bar, then when we left I accidentally bumped into someone on the way to the elevator?"

His face froze, quickly turning to the photos, "Oh my God…you're right."

They were both amazed, horrified, that the killer was right there under their noses the entire time. If only they could have known sooner. Horatio left everything as it was as he and Robin raced for the Hummer. He pulled out his cell phone, calling Speed to give a head's up.

He answered almost immediately, "Speedle."

"Drop whatever you're doing. Get to the Hotel Inter-Continental."

"Whoa, what's the hurry, H?" Speed said, noticing Calleigh glance over at him.

Horatio pushed through the main doors, "Wrong place, wrong time for the killer. Robin spotted him at the hotel a few days back. That was before we had any clues to what he looked like. "

Speed's face became serious, "Okay, Calleigh and I will be right behind you."

He hung up.

Horatio threw the door open, pulling himself inside the large vehicle. He said to Robin as he closed the door, "We're gunna surround that place…if he's there, he's _not _getting out."

She nodded, pulling the seatbelt across her chest and nervously fumbling with the buckle. Horatio was busy alerting the authorities--just as he said, no one was going to leave. It was no longer than five minutes later when a horde of police and federal cars lined up on either side of the Hummer. Blue and red lights ricocheted across the late night crowds and buildings--a sight not too unfamiliar, but with so many at once…it was able to catch attention.

"…yeah, the Hotel Inter-Continental…" Horatio confirmed once more for an accompanying police car. He turned to Robin, noticing she had started to bite her nails--a habit she had once believed broken. 

"Robbie?"

She jumped, partially on edge, "I'm okay, Horatio…really."

The tension disappeared in his voice, "I know."

They came to a screeching halt directly in front of the massive hotel. Horatio ran inside, approaching a young desk clerk--curly brown hair that just reached her shoulders. She gave a bright smile, her dark brown eyes wide and her voice perky, "Hello, Sir! Welcome to the Inter-Continental…"

Horatio made no time for a formal introduction as he quickly flashed his credentials, "Lieutenant Horatio Caine of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. I need you to keep _every_ occupant inside their rooms. This is a serious situation, it's _very_ possible that there is an extremely dangerous man somewhere in the building."

The expression on the young woman's face became petrified, "W-what? What's going on?"

"Miss, there's no time…if this man is still in the building, we need to confine him immediately."

She didn't respond, staring at the lines of police officers that were pouring in from all entrances. Robin rushed beside Horatio, "Calleigh and Tim are outside…the place is totally surrounded."

"Alright…you fill her in on who we're looking for," he said, hurrying to get to Speed and Calleigh.

Robin pulled out a photo of Peters, "I need to know if this man has registered a room here any time in the past week or so…his name is Steven Peters, but it could be listed differently in your records."

"I-I can check," the woman said, examining the pictures.

Her hands trembled as she struggled with the keyboard, the letters now seemed like a jumbled smear in her mind. She waited impatiently as the computer scanned its numerous files. 

"I'm sorry, ma'am…n-nothing came up."

"Are you sure? Can you check again?" Robin said, worried that she was missing something.

The employee did as she was told, mechanically pecking in the letters once more…and again, "…no match."

"How about security cameras?" Robin began listing possibilities.

"Yes ma'am, one in every hallway, main room, and parking lot."

"I'm gunna need to take a look at the videos…where could I find them?"

The woman scrambled through the scattered papers and pens, grabbing a key, and motioning for Robin to follow, "I can show you."

* * * * *

Horatio, his gun drawn, was carefully roaming through the hallways on the main floor--his steps silenced by the stiff, red carpeting. Behind him was a mass of police officers, checking and re-checking each and every crevice for things unseen. 

It was becoming more and more familiar now--Horatio remembered when he and Robin had gone through the same hallway, passed the same elevator…and now entered the same bar. He expected it to be empty, since the police should have cleared it out moments earlier, but what he saw struck him as strange:

"Hey! You over there! What are you still doing in here?" Horatio yelled at a figure that was slouched over the bar. His eyebrows lowered when there was no response. He cautiously stepped closer, speaking lightly, "Sir, you should be up in your room…"

And again, no response. Suddenly, Horatio became suspicious, "I'm Lieutenant Horatio Caine of the Miami-Dade Crime lab…I'm gunna need you to turn around with your hands above your head…"

This time, there was a reaction. The man did as he was told, turning around to reveal a picture-perfect smile…it was _him_. Horatio's eyes widened, every inch of his body tensed up as he stiffened his arms, holding the gun at pointblank range to the man's forehead.

Horatio spoke in an awkward tone, feeling as if he wanted to tear Peters apart, "Steven Peters…you're under arrest for the murders of Sally Kirsten, Vicki Trenton, and Jennifer Lewis. You have the right to…" 

Peters nodded, waving his hand as it was positioned above his head of dark brown hair, "I know, I know. Put the cuffs on and lead me out to the squad car. I've been through this before."

"What's with the passive behavior? What kind of shit are you pulling, Peters?" Horatio said, his voice a warning.

"You think I was trying to hide? Good place, huh? Out in the open--the only person sitting in a bar, wearing a bright yellow shirt, while police swarmed around me…no chance of getting caught, right?"

"Get some cuffs on this guy," Horatio said to a young officer behind him. He noticed a corner-shaped wrinkle in the man's shirt pocket--reaching in to find it was a card key for one of the rooms, "Well, you'd better hope that you tidied up your room before I have myself a look-see, Mr. Peters…"

Peters countered the statement, slightly agitated, "As if it would keep you from finding the evidence?"

Horatio gave a quick exhale through his nose, holding back a smirk, "Too true." 

With that said, the young, blonde-haired officer carefully led the man outside. Peters examined his surroundings, feeling the burning gaze of each and every gawking spectator. But he wouldn't show that he was weak; instead, he simply kept his head lifted--returning the stares that people were giving him.

Robin came around from one of the police cars--she had been speaking with Speedle about help with the video analysis--when she noticed Peters. She watched him take those long, proud strides before catching his eye. His focus seemed to be fixed on her, sending chills up and down her spine.

The door slammed shut, concealing Peters inside the car. Horatio stepped up beside Robin as they watched the car slowly roll away. Horatio noticed a distant look in Robin's eyes, "We got 'im, Robbie."

"Yeah," her voice was soft.

He surfed his hand along the top of her back, a hint of concern in his voice, "There's nothing left to worry about…he won't be getting out of there any time soon, or any time at all."

Robin smiled at Horatio, "We should get up to that hotel room; check for whatever Peters left behind."

He was slightly lost at her behavior, wondering why she was in such a hurry to get back to work. Horatio found it easiest to set it aside for now, "Alright. Guess we should get it out of the way. I'll get the spare card from that woman at the desk…you can head up there and wait for me."

There was that ever-so-familiar pause--Robin looked as if she were about to say something, but only agreed. Horatio watched as she made her way through the crowds of police and confused bystanders, until she disappeared through the tinted glass doors.

**Hey everyone! Sorry for not posting in a while, but I gave ya a nice long chapter to make up for it : ) Truth-be-told, I sort of had a writer's block mid-chapter. Well, not too much to say this time, just keep checkin for more chappies!**


	14. Moving Along

Chapter Fourteen: Moving Along

"This place is overflowing with evidence," Calleigh said, her face slightly scrunched as she sorted through a garbage can inside the bathroom.

"Hey, H," Speed started, "I think I've got something…"

Horatio, who had been crouching next to the bed and its accompanying pile of covers, looked up. He saw in Speedle's hand a small, Swiss pocket knife.

"This coulda been the tool Peters used to carve those heart-shaped marks," Speed stated, noticing Horatio's examining glance.

"It sure could…" He held out his hand, motioning for Speed to hand it to him. Once in his possession, Horatio took a closer look, rotating it between his thumb and index finger. And then, a smile:

"Guess our boy wasn't as thorough in cleaning up after himself as he might've thought…" he said, noticing small fractions of dried blood that remained near the base of the blade, where the knife could rotate in and out of its compartment.

Speed chuckled as he went for the evidence kit, pulling out a plastic bag. "Good eye."

Horatio dropped it in, tightly closing the seal. Seconds later, Robin approached him with another bagged item--this time it looked like a towel.

"I found this towel crumpled up and stuffed inside the vent over there, has a few holes in it--the surrounding fabric is singed. Tested positive for gunshot residue too," Robin said as she passed it to Horatio. 

"It's white--same color as the fibers found in the victims. Good job, Robin…we've got our silencer," he looked up, granting her a rewarding smile.

"There's one more thing, though…the weapon is nowhere to be found. Wanna take a walk to the parking lot?"

"Check his car?" Horatio added.

Robin nodded, "Yeah, only other place it could be. Maybe the other fabric'll show up down there too."

Calleigh interrupted, "You're going down to the car? Would it be any trouble if you could grab me the mats from the driver and passenger seats? And maybe a sample of whatever soil or sand is in-between the treads?"

"To match with the footprints?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, I want to make sure there's nothing I overlooked."

Horatio agreed, then he and Robin stepped out, quietly closing the door behind them.

Upon reaching the elevator, Robin returned the smile Horatio had given her earlier, "I'm amazed at how you're still so passionate about all of this…you really wanna hit this guy with everything you've got, huh?"

He was looking at the numbers above the doors, slowly blinking from one number to the next, "He takes pride in what he did, and he wasn't afraid to show it…people like that don't deserve to walk free. The more evidence we get, the more likely it is that he'll be stuck behind bars for life."

There was a short _ding!_ as the elevator doors noisily opened. After going inside, and the doors closed, Robin reassured him, "I wouldn't worry about it. Your CSIs are great! They don't miss a thing…and with you leading the way, there's no way he's getting out of this."

His eyes were grateful, knowing Robin meant what she said, "Thanks, Robbie…"

She felt a twinge in her chest, listening to his soft voice--but once again had to shrug it off. When it comes to work, the hardest thing was always learning how to keep her emotions out of the way, no matter how strong they were becoming. 

And again the doors opened at the main floor, revealing a familiar crowd of police and confused residents. Once outside, they slipped under the yellow police tape and slipped on a fresh pair of latex gloves.

"Okay, we'll start with the mats and samples that Calleigh asked for. After that we'll comb this car through for any other evidence…including the murder weapon," Horatio instructed.

Robin set down the silver box, lifting the top to reveal a museum of tools. The car looked dirty--another mistake. It was possible that any soil or sand from the murder locations could still be embedded in the tire treads, since it appeared that nothing had been washed and the weather had been fairly dry. 

She carefully scraped some samples into a plastic container that was almost the size of one of those film bottles--repeating the procedure on each of the wheels. Horatio, also, had already removed the mats, and had started his investigation. 

"Another thing we need to look for is the cosmetics Peters used on the victims since there were none in the hotel room," Horatio informed, shuffling through the armrest compartment.

Robin nodded, doing her part on the passenger's side. She peered under the seat--nothing. She stepped out, brushing a few hairs out of her face with her arm, "Well, he sure left us nothing _inside_ the car…but I think the samples from the outside are promising."

Horatio was troubled, "There's no weapon…think he just dropped it off somewhere?" 

"You mean like in a dumpster? Sure…make it harder to find," Robin said, circling around the car. She sighed, "That's not gunna fly well with the judge…no murder weapon, no conviction?"

He shrugged, "Depends…we found his prints on the body and footprints at the scene, its almost guaranteed that the pocket knife Speed found and the towel you found were part of the murder…and if those dirt samples match up with the footprints, then we should be good to go. That's a lot of evidence, and all of it points directly to him…not to mention his near-confession at the arrest."

"Great…well, let's get him talkin', then!" Robin urged.

Horatio broke a smile, "Slow down, there's work for us in the lab."

**Whew, finals are over and I'm back to writing! I was almost scared to post, knowing how much Yaba looks forward to them (sorry!) About this chapter--short and boring, blah blah blah…I understand. Just wanted to let everyone know I'm still working on the story! Leave me a post if you're still reading! Thanks!**


	15. Falling Into Place

Chapter Fifteen: Falling into Place

Calleigh and Speed were working patiently in the lab, while Erik was finishing up the video analysis. What he was looking for was any sign of Peters leaving or entering before and after the time that each crime had been committed. Horatio joined him moments later; alone, now that Robin was accompanying Calleigh and Speed.

"Erik, tell me what I want to hear."

"Good news--all the murders were committed right around eleven pm, right?" Erik started as a sort of intro of what was to come.

A nod from Horatio, anticipating the rest.

"Well…since there was a consistent pattern in the times of death, and since Peters is our main…our _only_ suspect…I was looking to see if he left the hotel any time around eleven, and then the time he came back."

"And the good news?" Horatio urged.

"Sure enough…the day he checked in was the night of the first murder…with Vicki Trenton as the victim. It was about eleven thirty…just enough time to do the deed and clean up after himself," Erik reasoned.

"And Peters did the same thing on each day of the murders?"

Erik nodded, "Yeah…he left in just enough time to get to each crime scene and the video shows him coming back at the right times too."

Horatio smiled, "Too good to be a coincidence…thanks Erik."

Erik bobbed his head gratefully, going back to check and re-check the video, "No prob, H."

* * * * *

Back in the lab…

"Calleigh, here's the samples you asked for. The mats are sitting over there," Robin nodded towards a different table.

"Great! Now I can _really_ get started," Calleigh joked, holding up the small tubes. She sat down behind a microscope, preparing herself a slide of the first sample's contents.

Robin joined her, pulling a seat up beside the vibrantly blonde woman, "So, what exactly are you gunna do…or look for?"

As Calleigh twisted the fine-adjustment knob, obviously checking for the smallest hints and details, she explained, "Um…well, first I'm going to compare the samples you got from the treads to the samples of soil and sand from the park, the beach, and from outside the Hallandale Apartments. This way, if they match, then we know Peters had recently stopped by the locations. After _that_ comparison, I'll start a _new _comparison between the soil and sand from the shoeprints to see if they match the samples from both the treads and the crime scenes…"

Robin smiled, "Right, that'll land Mr. Peters right where he belongs. He won't have any way of getting out of it."

Horatio hastily entered, picking up the last part of Robin's comment, "I'll tell you what else…Erik examined the video evidence--everything is falling into place."

"Great," Calleigh said, a smile spreading as she continued to peer into the microphone. "Horatio? I should be able to finish this up sometime tomorrow …I'll give you a call just before wrapping it up, okay?"

"Okay," Horatio said, his voice soft--he was impressed with the determination that each of his CSIs possessed. "Until then, Robin and I can look over…"

He was interrupted by Calleigh's lively, chiming voice, "No, no…Horatio, you and Robin are gunna take a break. Don't worry about _anything_…" She paused, seeing Speed pushing through the lab doors. Calleigh added, "…right, Speed?"

Tim Speedle looked up over a handful of papers he had been shuffling through. Oblivious to what Calleigh had just been saying, he played along, "Uh…oh, yeah, definitely."

"You and I are taking over tomorrow--I think Horatio and Robin deserve a little break," she said, a hint of mischief in her tone.

Horatio chuckled, looking at them both, "Alright…we'll see…thanks, guys."

"No problem," Calleigh smiled innocently.

"Yeah, you kids go and have some fun," Speedle joked as Horatio and Robin both made their way out of the blue-tinted lab.

Halfway down the hallway, Robin looked up at her red-haired mentor, "So…you gunna take Speed's advice?"

Horatio smiled knowingly, "I was one step ahead of him--we're gunna go back in time tomorrow night."

She raised her eyebrows, both confused and intrigued. He chuckled, "Reservations at your favorite Miami restaurant…you remember?"

Robin nodded, "It was called…'Touch'…but that's too expensive!"

Horatio shook his head, "Reservations are already made…I wanted to treat you to something before you have to leave, and _this _is what I wanted to do for you."

Stepping out of the building, even though the night sky was filled with the glowing moon and stars, Horatio felt that Robin's smile was brighter than all of them combined. 

And now…for the first time, aside from the kiss in her hotel room, Robin put aside her professional façade. She brushed her hand against Horatio's arm, looking up at him with glittering eyes for the first time in years.

**Okay, another short chapter…just to set everything up. I bet you can tell I'm running short on ideas for chapter names! ^_^ The next couple/few chapters are going to be hectic! But! I'm not gunna reveal any details. The end of the story is coming up pretty soon, so even if I keep taking such longs breaks, you gotta keep posted! I don't want anyone to miss out on the end! I hope everyone is having a good summer so far, and take care!** 


	16. Midnight in Miami Part 1

Chapter Sixteen: Midnight in Miami--Part 1

**Hey everyone, good to know that there's a few who are still following the story, and some who are getting back into it (Marmo: 3 reviews in 15 minutes, lol!). I'm aiming for a more stylish chapter this time around, with a more obvious 'romantic aura' between Horatio and Robin. The restaurant is a real place, but I have no idea what it looks like…so I'll leave it up to my imagination once again! And now…what you've all been waiting for!!!**

__

…You're hopeless 'cause you tell the truth…The stars are jealous of your shine…If you were mine, There's not a thing I wouldn't do… (TRAIN, 'Your Every Color')

Robin stood in front of the long mirror, which was part of a small vanity against a stretching wall in her hotel room. Her reflection revealed a young woman of about 5'5'' in height, dressed in a beautiful, draping black dress. She accompanied the gown with equally gorgeous and strappy, stiletto heels--used to boost her slightly closer to Horatio's six-foot frame. Turning from side-to-side, she began to wish that she had the long legs and beautiful hair that Calleigh possessed. But maybe that's what Horatio seemed to like about Robin--even though her style wasn't always original, she always managed to wear it as her own.

There was a light knock at the door, and Robin--knowing it was Horatio--smiled to herself...she then took a deep breath, ready to answer the door.

"Horatio, hi! Come on in…I'm almost ready."

Horatio followed her instructions, closing the door behind him. He was also very formally dressed--an expensive-looking, well-tailored black suit over a hazy blue shirt and a simple, dark blue tie. The nicely-dressed man sat himself down on the bed behind her, watching Robin lightly apply her mascara.

The tone was low, "…I haven't seen that dress for a while. You actually kept it…"

Robin looked at his reflection--observing that he was looking at the floor. She glanced over her shoulder while struggling with the hook of a dainty necklace, trying to smile, "Of course I kept it! Horatio, I bet you paid a month's salary for this thing…it's beautiful…and it gives me good memories."

Horatio, noticing she was still fussing with the necklace, got up to assist her. He fastened the small, silver hooks, running his warm hands across her shoulders and then down her arms, "…me too."

She faced him, looking into his vibrantly blue eyes…noticing that even over the period of a few years, time had caught up with him--and it showed. His features, overall, still gave off certain childlike qualities…almost as if Horatio wasn't ready to let go of his youth--but who ever is? Or maybe it was just that he never really _had_ a youth…with what he had told Robin about his mother and his brother, it sounded like Horatio had had a rough life…and maybe she could be the one to make it just a little bit better.

In Horatio's eyes, he was seeing a young, attractive, and intelligent woman. He loved every single thing about Robin--but never exactly showed it. True, he flirted when given the chance, and even spent a night with her years ago…however, there was always the fact that she was over ten years younger than him that kept him from completely expressing how he felt for her.

…And there she was, back in his life…just how Horatio remembered her. Dressed in the same dress he had given her…wearing the same shoes, the same smile…nothing had changed. And it's possible that _that_ was the problem… she was the exact same wonderful person he had met years ago, and he…well, he was also the exact same person, only now he was weighted with the memories of so many cases he had experienced since she had left…and weighted with the memories that she had left.

His hands were still softly touching her arms, with Robin playing around with his tie. Horatio suddenly brushed his hand lightly against her face, lowering his head slightly to kiss the unsuspecting woman. He felt her soft skin, tasted her strawberry lips…feeling her respond effortlessly with a kind flick of her tongue. In pulling away from it, he saw her face was blushed, but also saw her lips peak into a smile.

She put her arm around his, speaking quietly and breathlessly, "…c'mon, we can't be late for dinner."


	17. Midnight in Miami Part 2

Chapter Seventeen: Midnight in Miami--Part 2

A small, apparently sophisticated, crowd was assembled in front of the restaurant's glass doors, mostly turning their attention towards the finely-dressed man behind a black podium. He was randomly calling out last names and times, apologizing for the long wait that was included.

Horatio and Robin were lightly conversing, chuckling here-and-there at a funny recollection, as they passed the select groups of tuxedos and flowing 'after 5' dresses. The man at the podium smiled charmingly as he noticed them approach.

"Good evening, Sir, Miss," he greeted politely with a hinted Latino accent.

Horatio nodded, "Hi, I've got a reservation under the name 'Caine' for eight o'clock."

"Caine?" the man repeated, his dark brown eyes scrolling down a large list of names. "Ah, here it is. I'm sorry, but we're very busy tonight, the wait should be about forty-five minutes."

"No problem," Horatio compromised, glad to have made a reservation.

The waiter looked again at them both, "If you'd like, you can step inside. There are a few open seats at the bar. Please have a drink or just relax until your table is ready."

Horatio nodded, "Sure."

"Thank you," Robin said to the Latino man as she followed Horatio through the doors.

Inside, the restaurant flared of modern elegance. By the looks of it, _Touch_ was a place where everyone knew everyone--there were women moving from table to table, martini-in-hand, laughing and smiling with each other, while some of the men were seated, having heated debates over politics or God-knows-what and others maybe just talking about the latest happenings in sports or their love life. 

The bar was of a dark black marble, with the palette of colored glass being lit like a showcase painting in a gallery. Different shaped glasses hung from above the bartender, quickly disappearing as more people gathered around.

"And what can I get for you two?" the petite, nearly middle-aged woman asked as she quickly swept a cloth over the counter in front of her, her voice slightly more rough than would be expected of a woman her size.

Robin ordered, "Um…I'll have a Sea Breeze, light on the Vodka."

"And for you?" she turned to Horatio.

"Same."

As the woman turned to pack the ice into a couple crystal tumblers, Horatio noticed a quizzical look plastered on Robin's face.

"You're still thinking about the case, aren't you?"

She perked up slightly, not knowing she had been so obvious, "Yeah, kind of."

"We've got our guy, there's nothing to worry about," he said quietly, reassuringly.

Robin was still quiet, remembering the cold stare that Steven Peters had given her as he was being ushered into the police car, "But…you said he went without a fight or anything. Doesn't that strike you as weird?"

There was a small pause as the bartender sat the drinks in front of them.

Horatio continued as the woman stepped away, "All he was doing was a simple cat-and-mouse game…he set off the chase, we found him…fun's over."

"But still, Horatio…I can't help shaking the feeling that something's up. He still seems so familiar to me…not just the one time I bumped into him at the hotel, I know there's something _more_."

"Robbie, there's a hundred guys that look like him in Miami alone… maybe he looks like someone that bought one of your paintings, who knows?"

"Horatio?" Robin was surprised at his lack of confidence in her. "Why don't you trust me in this? Tomorrow, you need to really grill that guy…he's hiding something, and you can't risk _anything_…"

He remembered telling that to Robin when she had first started her career in criminalistics…that 'risk' was part of the job description, and the only way to get over it was to not leave anything unscathed.

"…You're right, nothing goes unexamined. I'll check it out for you and see what's up with this guy."

An announcement from the speakers broke the tension, _"Caine, party of two…Caine, party of two._"

He gave an apologetic smile, getting one in return from Robin, "Let's go see if the food is exactly how you remembered it to be."

* * * * *

The couple enjoyed a perfectly assembled dinner, snacking on a plateful of appetizers and sampling each other's dishes. The ride back to the hotel was quick, to them both…somehow, slightly too quick. 

As they stood alone in the elevator, Robin felt her heart racing at top-speed as she pondered on her next actions. She wanted, more than anything, to invite Horatio back into the hotel room for…as she thought of it…a slightly longer visit. However, the thought still loomed over her head of how she had hurt him so badly the last time they had become romantically involved.

There was a soft _"ding!"_ as the elevator doors slid open, revealing a long stretch of identical doors. Horatio followed behind Robin, noticing her brush her fingers against a "Do Not Disturb" sign that was tagged onto the doorknob of a nearby room. 

She surfed through her small evening bag, pulling out the hotel's room-entry card. After a few seconds of fussing with the door, she managed to get it open.

Turning around, Robin rested her arms on Horatio's shoulders, slightly raising up on her toes to give him a small kiss, "Thanks for giving me such a great night, Horatio…H."

He chuckled at hearing the nickname, still smiling as he leaned into another kiss, slowly moving Robin back into the hotel room. Once the door shut behind them, Horatio began to slowly unzip the back of Robin's elegant, black dress.

She braced her hand on his chest as they fell back onto the cushiony mattress, feeling the soft fabric against her bare back, "…Are you sure you want to do this?"

Horatio brushed the loose strands of hair from Robin's flushed face, "Well, we're following a theme, aren't we? _Touch_--the restaurant…and now…"

Robin laughed playfully, feeling his lips making their way down her neck, "You always _were _bad at pickup lines…"

**Wow, I'm _actually_ posting! Can you believe it? Sorry about the wait, first of all I didn't get some of the reviews for chapter 16, maybe since I changed my email, and second--I've been working about 5 or 6 days a week. I just get really exhausted! But I'm back on track now, so hopefully I still have some people's attention! Post a.s.a.p. if you're still following the story, please!!**


	18. Unsuspected

Chapter Eighteen: Unsuspected

It was another crisp, Miami morning--the sloshing ocean, the gulls… something that could only be captured by the heart of a sea shell. A cool breeze floated over the usually steamy city, and it crept higher into the atmosphere, seeping into the open window of a towering hotel room…

…Robin stirred awake under the large floral print, feeling her bare skin tingle under the soft draft. Pulling the covers to her shoulders, the young woman inhaled deeply, then let out a comfortable sigh.

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking several times to rid them of that usual morning blur. Once focused, she spotted the large numbers of a nearby, digital clock--it flashed 9:48.

The petite woman quickly scrambled upright, her eyes coasting across the room, "Horatio?…Horatio, are you here?"

Her heart fluttered, there was no response…however, upon kneeling over the opposite side of the bed, she spotted a small note that had been taped to a pillow:

__

Thank you for giving me such an enjoyable night. And Robbie, don't worry--I'll grill him good. 

~Horatio

Robin gave a slight chuckle of relief as she plopped her head back onto the pillow, smiling as she re-read the note.

_I know you, Horatio…,_ she thought to herself,_ There's not a chance in hell that this guy is gunna get away._

* * * * *

Horatio, Calleigh, and an accompanying detective carefully surrounded Steven Peters inside the air-conditioned interrogation room. Calleigh stood behind Horatio, leaning against a Plexiglas window with her arms folded over a well-ironed ivory suit. The detective was sitting at the corner of the table, notebook-in-hand, while Horatio took his place directly in front of the unusually calm suspect.

After taking the man's prints, Horatio fanned out several snapshots across the table. He shot a glance towards Peters, before Calleigh asked the first question, "Tell me, Mr. Peters… do any of these people look familiar to you?"

"They're laying on their faces…how could I recognize them?" he replied, smirking and leaning back into his chair.

Horatio felt his temper raising, but controlled himself as well as he could, "Do you recognize any of their features? Maybe their names--Sally Kirsten… Vicki Trenton…Jennifer Lewis…nothing rings a bell?"

Peters shifted in his seat, crossing his arms in front of him. Calleigh picked up the conversation, "We have the forensic evidence that supports our theory--sand and dirt from two of the crime scenes were found embedded in your tire treads, and not to mention that the tread imprints were discovered outside of Miss Lewis's apartment; footprints matching your shoe size, with the same sand and soil types, were found in the hall going in _and_ out of the apartment as well. Your fingerprints were even lifted off of one of the bodies…"

"…that one mistake of removing your gloves was a critical one--it left you like a deer in plain sight of the hunter," Horatio said, hoping to shake the man up a bit.

Peters simply bobbed his head up and down, "Let me guess, _you're_ the hunter."

Horatio did the same, "That's right."

Calleigh felt the intense tension building between the two, "Um…Mr. Peters…what about the video evidence? You were spotted entering and exiting the hotel at precisely the right times--giving you enough time to get to the crime scenes and make it back, with only a few minutes to spare."

Peters' eyes raced up-and-down Calleigh's model-like frame, smirking, "You ever hear of a coincidence?"

Horatio was disgusted; he leaned forward in his seat, speaking in a low tone, "…Listen, Steven…you've had us dancing around the bush for long enough. I _know_ you killed these girls. Now, what I want to know is _why_…_why in hell_ would you shoot these innocent people? Then you even cleaned them up and prettied up their faces, didn't you? Is this some sick fantasy of yours?"

Peters' smile faded, his typical bright-eyed expression had morphed into cold, stone-like features, "Lieutenant Caine…you think that you're such a hot-shot, don't you? That you and your little tag-team are able to solve any case given to you…"

There was a slight pause where he took a quick glance up at the clock, and his cocky smirk slowly returned, "…So, Horatio…if you've got _all_ the answers…if you _know_ that I've killed all those girls…then you _obviously_ know what's about to happen next…"

Horatio tilted his head, his voice almost threatening, "What are you hiding from me, Peters…"

One final look at the clock, "You're blind, Horatio…you think that you've dug sooo deep into this case, that you've examined _every single aspect_ of it…but in reality, you haven't even scratched the surface…and in reality, the answers are right under your nose…or rather, right under your…"

Peters was interrupted as Tim Speedle came crashing through the door. His entrance was met by confused glances from both Horatio and Calleigh.

Speedle looked at them both, his eyes wide, "H, got a minute?"

They stepped outside, Horatio's brow still lowered, "What's going on…"

"We've got another case. A man was found dead in an art supply shop--shot in the back of the head. But this time, the murder was said to be pretty messy," Speedle said, still trying to process the words himself.

"But he's _in there_…how can we have another case?"

"You can't leave this alone, we need to get to the scene…he's obviously not the killer. If…"

Horatio paused, his mind spinning, "No, wait…he's _a_ killer. Speed…he's got a partner."

**Okay, this is just a short chapter…pretty much just to build the suspense! I've got some good stuff planned for the next couple chapters, so be sure to keep posted. Everything should fall together soon enough! And Yaba, I feel flattered to know that you think Robin is the #1 original character out there! : ) **


	19. Brotherly Love

Chapter Nineteen: Brotherly Love

Alexx Woods, Horatio Caine, and Calleigh Duquesne stepped under the yellow-and-black police tape, entering their newest crime scene. There was no doubt about what Speedle had said--_it was messy_. The entire store was trashed: all the shelves were knocked over, paint was spilled across the floor and walls, and supplies were scattered everywhere.

The body was found face-down behind the cashier's desk--it had been a younger man, maybe mid-thirties, with medium length, brown hair and a goatee.

Alexx knelt beside the body, checking over the man's head, "There's a small, circular entrance wound right here at the base of the skull--the skin surrounding it is singed, indicating that the shot was made with the barrel pressed against his head…" She stopped a moment, shaking her head as she looked at what was left of the man's face, "…The place of exit is approximately near the upper lip. Went right through him."

"No signs of the signature heart mark?" Horatio checked.

Alexx simply shook her head, "Nothing."

Calleigh's eyes trailed along the details of the room, "God, Horatio, look at this place…"

Just then, a police officer approached them, ready to share whatever information he had, "Lieutenant, good to see you're here."

"What happened? Were there any witnesses?" Horatio asked.

The officer shook his head, "Unfortunately there were no witnesses, but I _did_ question the man that made the phone call to the police. He said that he walked in here, maybe forty-five minutes after the opening time, and… well…saw exactly what you're seeing now. We've got no immediate leads, but I'm sure you and your crew can pull something from this mess."

"Thank you, officer," Calleigh said sweetly.

She walked around and filed through everything that had been knocked to the floor while Horatio examined everything behind the desk. There was blood spatter on the wall, located just above the spot where Alexx was kneeling--indicating that the man had already been turned around when the killer had entered the store.

Just before taking a closer look, Horatio's cell phone jingled.

"Horatio," he answered.

It was Speedle, "H, I've got news."

"Okay, let's hear it," he said, stepping outside for slightly more privacy.

"I checked him out, and Steven has a brother."

"_What,_" Horatio said, trying to keep the volume low.

"Yeah, says he lives in the Miami area, too. It's almost a given he's, literally, the partner-in-crime."

"Is Steven still around?"

"Time for another talk?" Speedle checked knowingly.

Horatio nodded, "You bet."

* * * * *

Horatio was back in the same, cold interrogation room--this time, aside from the detective, he was one-on-one with Mr. Peters. Calleigh, accompanied by Alexx, remained at the crime scene to further investigate.

He was sitting at a rectangular table, with a new folder placed in front of him--it was filled with certain information on both Steven and Richard, Steven's brother.

"So, Steve…you visit your brother often?"

"When I'm in the area," he commented.

"You're in the area _now_…maybe you stopped by and, y'know, went out a few nights to have some fun," Horatio said, his pitch lowering.

There was no response from Steven. Horatio, instead, flipped open the folder--taking a look at the first few pages, "Says here that your brother got in some trouble a few years back…wanna tell me what happened?"

"I'd think that those reports would tell you everything, Lieutenant."

"It never hurts to have an extra source."

A few seconds of silence, and then, "Okay, okay…Rich had some problems, but doesn't everyone? He was in therapy and visited a psychologist for a while. He was doin' pretty good, met a girl…and the rest is history."

"Where is he now? At his apartment?"

Peters' blue eyes twinkled again, with a sly smile spreading across his face, "We're brothers…and brothers _never_ sell each other out."

Horatio had a quick flashback of him and his own brother, "…You're right…I guess they don't…Now, you said he met a girl? What was her name?"

Peters' tisked a few times, leaning back in the chair to cross his legs, "What kind of person would I be to spoil that for you? You're _so into_ solving puzzles…I mean, _I_ wouldn't even _be here_ if it wasn't for that trait."

"That's right," Horatio said, his voice becoming irritated, "…and pretty soon, that trait is gunna get your brother a little visit with us as well."

He pushed away from the table, ready to head back to the crime scene when Peters stopped him one last time:

"_Tick-tock_, Lieutenant Caine…"

Horatio turned quickly, reaching over the table and grabbing Steven's lapels, "Listen to me, you son of a bitch…I want you to tell me what kind of game you're playing, or _I swear_ I'll have you locked away for the rest of your life…"

The threat didn't shake him a bit, "You know our style…there's always _something_ for you to find…almost like a little _gift_. You just need to look harder, to dig deeper…and I know you _will_."

Horatio quickly let go of the man's shirt before making a heated exit from the room.

"H, what if he's just leading you on? He's trying to get under your skin…" Speed said, noting Horatio's outburst.

"Speed, I know it's a long shot--but I think Robin was right about something…she said that there was more to this case than meets the eye. Peters _wanted_ to get caught when we arrested him…maybe it was just to distract us…_that's_ what I need to find out. I need to know what he's trying to distract us from."

"Calleigh said that there was no makeup on the man and no heart-shaped cut…if there _are_ any more intentional clues that were left behind, maybe they're not on the body this time around."

Horatio paused, remembering the blood spatter on the wall, "…Speed, that's it…Come on, I need you to check something out."

**Wow! I'm so happy that I've been able to update these chapters so quickly! I'm glad that everyone is still reading and reviewing, because that absolutely makes my day! This is the longest story I've _ever_ written…in Microsoft word, it comes out to be 43 pages long so far! My friend Sam wants me to print it out and make a little book for her to read while she's bumming around at the pool. Maybe I can push a few more of my friends to read it : ) Anyways, thanks again for keeping up with my story--hope to update soon!**


	20. Secrets Revealed

Chapter Twenty: Secrets Revealed

In Robin's hotel room--about an hour earlier from when the last chapter ended…

Robin, happy that she had a while to relax, had just finished taking a long, refreshing bath. After quickly blow-drying her hair and slipping into a silky robe, she picked up a couple magazines and plopped back into bed.

A few minutes passed while Robin was flipping through the pages of _Cosmo_ when she heard a couple knocks at the door.

"Yeah? Horatio, is that you?" she called, glancing over the magazine cover. 

Another knock.

"Okay, okay…I'm coming!" 

Robin tossed the covers away, scurrying to get to the door. The chain-lock was still fastened as she peeked out…and suddenly, there was an intense pain that was slowly creeping through her head--someone had kicked the door open, knocking her onto the floor.

When she reached to comfort the bruise on her head, there was a strong grip at her left arm, pulling Robin up and tossing her back onto the bed. Trying to regain focus after the sudden impact, Robin blinked several times--seeing if she could make out the figure that had attacked her.

"Who the hell _are_ you?" she yelled, attempting to squirm out of the man's grasp.

"I wouldn't scream if I were you…" the man said calmly, pressing a gun against her head as he kneeled over her trembling body.

Upon feeling the icy barrel between her eyes, Robin felt every muscle in her body tense up. She cautiously asked again, "…Who are you?"

Her eyes focused, revealing a man around his late thirties or early forties. His hair was a softer brown, but his eyes were cold and aged. His smile, as well, was far from heart-warming.

"I thought so…you _don't _remember, do you?" his voice remained calm, almost poised.

"What are you _talking_ about? I've never…" she felt more pressure from the barrel, her throat prevented her from speaking.

"That's funny, Miss Elde…or should I say _Doctor _Elde. You _are_ a psychologist, after all." There was a noise as the man pulled an item out of his pocket--to Robin, it sounded almost like the unsheathing of a sword. 

He held a Swiss pocketknife in front of her face so she would be able to get a clear look, "Maybe _now_ you've got a better idea…"

Robin's eyebrows lowered. Her voice was furious, "You! It was _you_ who killed all those people! I swear, when Horatio gets to you he'll…"

Before being able to finish, she felt the cool blade pierce through her skin. As the knife was being dragged along her shoulder, tearing the familiar heart into its predetermined place, Robin wanted to scream until her lungs burst--but she was only able to let out a quick yelp before a hand was clapped over her mouth.

The man's tone switched to more of a growling tease, "Uh-uh-uh! Keep your voice down…it's still early. You wouldn't want to wake anyone."

He traced the blood-stained, flattened end of the blade along the open neck of Robin's robe, letting out a tired sigh, "It still hurts me, though…that you can't remember my face. For all these years, I've _definitely _remembered _yours_…"

Robin became silent, her mind swirling with fear and terror. The man continued, "Yes…don't you recall that day five years ago, Miss Elde? You were a fresh face in the business, _just_ out of school, and you were assigned to your very first patient…how exciting!"

She was trying to think back--trying as hard as she could. The man simply went on as if he were brainstorming a biography, "Do you remember the _name_ of your very first patient, Doctor?"

Praying that it was correct, she answered, "Rich…Richard…"

"Very good. His name was Richard _Peters_…" He nodded, leaving a slight pause before he finished the thought, "Are you connecting the dots?"

It hit her like a truck, "Peters?? You mean, _you're Richard Peters?"_

"Bingo. And I bet that you've _just_ figured out that the last name is no simple coincidence…am I correct?"

"But…but Steven was arrested…and everyone thought that _he_ was the murderer," Robin said through a choking feeling in her throat.

"That's right. Good team, _aren't we_?" he said with a strange hint of pride. "It wasn't just those first three victims, either…I made one more stop before coming to visit _you_. I bet it's driving your friend crazy to know that he's got the wrong guy."

"But, I _remember_ you, Richard! I worked with you for about four months and you showed every positive sign of improvement…that's why you were released. Why are you going back to that same horrible state-of-mind?" Robin pleaded, almost ignoring the fact that there was a blade sitting dangerously near to her throat--and a gun sitting right next to Richard's body.

"Because of _you_, Doctor Elde…_Robin_. Believe it or not, I had fallen for you the minute I felt your comforting touch."

Robin felt her heart drop to her stomach, "You…you _what?_"

"I was in _love_ with you for the longest time--Robin, you were the _only doctor_ in that entire institution that treated me like a real person. All the other doctors would waltz into their offices with their PhDs plastered all over the walls, it was always about _them_…how good _they could be_…But you always put the patient first. You worked _so hard_ to make them feel better…to make _me_ feel better…"

Robin wanted so much to say something, to respond to this…but she was absolutely speechless. Then, fear struck her again as she noticed an angered expression blossoming on Richard's face.

"…And I thought that you felt the same way about _me_. You always talked in the softest, kindest voice…and you always looked beautiful and dressy…" Peters stopped, his emotions had drastically changed and were becoming more and more trancelike--as if he were reliving the past, "Then one day, the day that I was allowed to go home, I saw _him_ come in…that cocky, red-haired bastard. I saw him touch your hand…and you _smiled_ at him, Doctor Elde…you _smiled_. _You lied to me!!_"

He continued, never losing eye-contact with Robin, "I wanted to see _just how much _you lied to me, too…so, I _followed_ you and your boss to his house after seeing you two at a restaurant…I can remember that the stars were out…so it must have been kind of late at night. And then…he…he started _touching_ you…and _kissing _you…and taking off your _clothes_…and I knew that he wasn't _good enough_ for you because the next day you _ran away_. I didn't know _where_ you went…but you were _gone_…and it hurt me to know that I wouldn't see you anymore. So every time I saw something that reminded me of you…I _had_ to have it, and if I _couldn't_, then I'd have to make sure that no one else could either…"

And at that moment, Robin forgot about the throbbing blow to her head, the bleeding gash on her shoulder…and all the fear drained from her…now, she just wanted to break down and cry. She now knew that _she _was the reason for the deaths of those people…all because of her careless actions. They were all killed at eleven o'clock at night…the _same time_ that she and Horatio had went home together.

"I know you wanna find out why I chose those certain people, don't you? The little girl had the same pretty eyes that you had…so I put the same makeup that you wore on them…the young woman had the same lips as you… so I put your favorite gloss on them…the last woman had the same nose as you…so I put makeup on that too…I thought that you had the _most beautiful _face. You know how some people cut out parts of pictures in a magazine to make the _perfect face?_…Well, I took it one step further, and I gave it a mark…just like I did on you," he said as he traced the bleeding, heart-shaped cut.

"And _one final thing_, Doctor Elde…no one _ever_ heard the shots from when I killed those people…and what I used was something that meant so much to you…I'm sure that you remember that dress that you wore that night? The soft, black one…made out of pure, rare silk? Were you, by any chance, missing the long, piece of fabric that you had worn around your shoulders?"

Tears had already been pouring down Robin's face as she was taking in all of what Richard had told her. Her body was shivering and shaking, but she was able to let out another hushed comment, "You mean you…you used a piece of my dress to…to _kill them?_"

Richard leaned down to the petrified young woman, kissing her lightly on the lips. Moments after, he reached to his side and picked up the gun. His voice was back to its calm, proper sound again, "Now, I know that you and I will never be able to be together, Robin…" 

He paused, hearing Robin's cell phone chiming a little tune. After eyeing the print on the screen, he continued, "…because judging by the name on your phone, the police are on their way. So, even though this will hurt me more than anything I've ever done…I can't break my habits…If _I_ can never have you, the _he_ will never have you either…"

**Wow, that was _a lot_ of writing! Hopefully you guys could understand everything that was going on. I know there was a load of content, but this was how I wanted everything to be revealed. The overall idea was that Richard Peters was Robin's first patient when she started in the psychology field. He fell in love with her, thinking that she felt the same way because of how nice she was to him, but he became jealous after figuring out that she had feelings for Horatio. When Robin ran away after her one night of passion, Richard got angry and confused--going back to his psycho behavior. After realizing that Robin was back, he decided to go after her and finish the job by getting his brother to distract both the CSIs and police. Whew, okay, if you have any questions about this chapter, feel free to ask…I'll try my best to answer them! One last mention--the next chapter is gunna go slightly back in time, just like this one. I wanted to show all aspects of what's going on in this time frame to be able to give the full content of the story. Thanks for sitting through all my rambling, once again! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	21. True Love Leaves No Traces

**Okay, before starting this chapter, I'll answer a couple questions that were asked in the reviews:

1. To jd burns, who asked "So you're talking about the flashback where Robin quit CSI and moved? And Richard's been stalking her ever since?" 

Yeah, the whole thing about Richard stalking Robin _was _a consequence of her deciding to leave--he pretty much stalked her because he had fallen in love with her, and he wanted to make sure that Horatio didn't get near her again. The whole chapter wasn't so much a flashback as it was Richard just pouring his heart out to Robin. I think I might've mentioned it, but Rich was pretty much reliving the past. 

Richard also hasn't been stalking Robin ever since that day, he instead ended up driving himself crazy thinking about her--leading himself to finally burst one day and kill everything that reminded him of her. He had only stalked her that one night, after being released from the institution, and then started again after learning that Robin had come back to Miami to assist Horatio. Hope that was a good enough answer and wasn't too confusing! : )

2. Next was a question from Kady Rilla Wholi, who asked, "but why on earth did Richard Peters EVER think that Robin liked him in the first place?"

Simple answer…it's because he was just a lonely, crazy man! Because Robin always dressed nicely, Richard (in his mixed up mind) thought that she was doing it for _him_…y'know, to kind of impress him. And she was always really nice to him, so he thought it was just Robin's way of flirting. Crazy, isn't he?? Hope that answer worked for ya! (Oh, by the way, your compliment about my story was sooo nice! It would be _awesome_ if Mr. Bruckheimer would read my story and like it!)

Okay, and now…what you've _all been waiting for_…the conclusion (but not the _final_ chapter)…of CSI Miami: Captiva!!!!

Chapter Twenty-One: True Love Leaves No Traces

At the art supply store, forty-five minutes before the ending of the last chapter…

"H?…H?…_Horatio?_" Speed said intently as Horatio examined the area behind the checkout desk. The body had been removed for further inspection--work better left for Alexx to take care of.

"There's something here…something about this splatter that _isn't right_…" Horatio said, his actions becoming less-and-less cautious, but more-and-more hurried.

Speed stepped back, thinking that maybe a larger field of view would become more helpful. Calleigh stepped over a couple broken easels, joining in Horatio and Speedle's inspection.

"That's weird…" Speed said, almost mumbling to himself.

Calleigh looked at his dazed expression, "What do you see?"

"Well, I'm not _positive_…but don't you think that there should be splatter on that?" he mentioned, pointing to a painting on the wall above Horatio.

"Yeah…there _should_," Calleigh stated, walking closer to it. "It's also the _only painting_ that's not crooked--almost like someone straightened it out."

Horatio stood up, examining it closely. His colleague was right, that painting _was _the only thing that was left untouched. In searching for any kind of reasonable clue as to _why_ it was left that way, Horatio found the answer to everything…

"Horatio, are you alright?" Calleigh said concernedly as she noticed his sudden halt.

He turned around, looking at both Speed and Calleigh with an emotion that they had rarely seen before--Horatio was terrified.

Before dashing out to his Hummer, he instructed the other CSIs to follow, "Speed! Calleigh! Get in the car! I'll explain on the way!"

Without hesitation, the two followed on his heels, quickly pulling themselves into the vehicle. After a screeching take-off, Speed was the first to ask, "What's going on? What did you see on that painting??"

"Robin--it was one of _her _paintings…" Horatio said, sounding as if he was just now letting the idea sink in.

Every single detail about this case was being plastered together in his mind…memories flooded back, and thoughts were flooding in…There was a picture in his mind of the little girl's eyes…the cold, parted lips of the woman laying there in the morgue…and the flushed face of the woman who had been found sprawled out on her sofa…the images pieced themselves together in his mind…

He remembered, then, looking into Robin's eyes…how blue they were, and how they shined…how her face would blush every time Horatio would try to flatter her…and how full and soft her lips were every time they kissed…

He remembered the cool, smooth feel of the dress Robin had worn…how he had bought it especially for her. The silk was Atlas…one of the finest silks that money could buy…

And finally, Horatio remembered the first day that he and Robin had met--the first day he had stepped into her office…It was filled with all of her paintings…_'I use them to help keep the patients relaxed…works better than a bunch of certificates, at least!'_--something Robin had told him after Horatio complimented a certain piece…the one he had also seen hanging at the crime scene.

"H? You're spacing out…what's the deal about seeing Robin's painting in that store?" Speedle asked, a hint of worry in his voice. 

"Is she okay?" Calleigh chimed in.

"Remember how the files said that Richard was seeing a psychologist?" Both nodded in agreement, Horatio continued, "It was Robin…this guy is after _Robin_."

"_What?_ That's crazy, H…" Speed said, feeling that Horatio was acting on his lack of sleep.

"No, it's not…he was leading me on in the interrogation room--giving me clues. He said that his brother '_went to therapy, then met a girl'_…and he wouldn't give me the girl's name. Said that he would '_spoil it'_ if he told me…" Horatio said as he flew through a stop light, swerving away from oncoming cars.

"But how do you know it's _Robin_ that he's after? The painting might just be a simple coincidence!" Calleigh said as she leaned into the Hummer's immediate turn, grasping onto Speed's arm like her life depended on it.

"That's an answer that both you and Speed figured out…you said that Richard was _highlighting_ his favorite traits on those victims, but that was just the first step. Each 'highlighted' part of the victims' faces, when put together, would make _one_ face…"

The two CSIs paused, pasting together the final picture in their minds. Calleigh gasped, "Oh my God, Horatio…you're right…"

Horatio pulled out his cell phone, talking to himself as he dialed, "I need to warn her…she's gotta get out of there…"

Speed and Calleigh were dead-silent as they heard the constant ringing through the phone's earpiece. Horatio pressed the 'END' button just as he swerved into the hotel parking lot. He got out of the monstrous vehicle, slamming the door behind him as he ran towards the building. 

"H, aren't you gunna call for backup??" Speed said, running just behind Calleigh.

__

"There's not enough time…plus, it would draw even more attention. If this guy is aiming to kill her, he wouldn't wait around for a S.W.A.T. team to ambush him," he replied, bursting through the front doors and running towards the stairs.

They traveled up several floors, drawing their guns about halfway up. Horatio was giving instructions in-between every heaving breath, "Listen, this guy has walked around free for long enough. I'm not taking _any chances. _I'm gunna kick the door open, and I want you two to keep back, but give me cover-fire if I need it…_I _brought Robin into this mess, now she's gunna get out of it _alive_…"

With that said, they pushed through the entrance that had been separating the staircase from the hallway. The rows of doors seemed to go on forever, until Horatio nodded to the left, indicating to them to be ready for anything.

The door burst open as if it were Styrofoam. Horatio, followed by Calleigh and Speed, rushed inside and spotted Richard Peters kneeling over a small, quivering body. 

"Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade P.D.!! Put the weapon _down!!!!_" Horatio yelled, seeing the sheer terror in Robin's eyes.

Richard gave Horatio a smile that would remain in his mind forever--the kind of smile that says…'_I won!'_. And a fraction of a second later, the man turned his back to Horatio, holding the gun down towards Robin.

Horatio pulled the trigger a few times, sending bullets straight into Richard--one passing directly through his body. However, after seeing the man's corpse slump over and fall beside the bed, another site seemed to make Horatio's face go pale…

"Robin…_Robin?_…" His voice trembled as he dropped his gun and rushed to the bedside. 

She laid there--motionless. Blood from Richard's exit wound covered her face…but even more was creating a circular stain around a fringed hole in her robe--Richard had gotten to the trigger merely milliseconds before Horatio.

"Robbie…_please_ don't do this…" Horatio said, feeling himself choke-up.

In the background, Speed was on his cell calling for medical aid and pacing through the room. Calleigh was standing frozen in front of the door, her hand set over her mouth, feeling tears rush to her widened eyes.

Horatio set his hand lightly on top of the small entrance wound, noticing that Robin had slightly flinched. His heart raced--there was a glimpse of hope in Robin's lingering eyes.

"H…Horatio…" her voice was hushed, but sweet.

"Oh my God, Robbie…you're alive," Horatio said, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Of course…I'm alive…" a small smile perked up on her face, but her breathing remained strained and irregular. "Wh-what happened?…How did you…how'd you know to come?"

"Robin, you were right…there _was_ more to Steven than I had thought. I'm _so sorry_…you're in this position because of _me_," Horatio said, shaking his head and holding back his forceful tears.

"No, this is _my_ fault…all those people--they're…they're _dead_ because of me…" Her face was emotionless, but tears were slipping down her blood-stained face.

"What? That's not true, Sweetie," Horatio said, brushing the tears from her eyes.

"It…it _is_ true…I was so selfish." Robin looked up at Horatio, "I…I hurt you…and I hurt Richard…He…he killed all those people because I left!"

Horatio pulled her up, leaning her against his chest. His voice was comforting, "Shhh, it's alright…you'll be okay. This will be over soon…"

Calleigh and Speed were absolutely silent. In some way, this was a happy ending…but the picture they were seeing was strange and confusing: In a bed soaked with blood and cluttered with bullet shells sat Horatio--in his arms, the love of his life was wasting away. Beside them on the floor lay the dead body of a psychotic murderer…could this _really_ be classified as a happy ending? Maybe to those in this business it was as happy as an ending could get.

As the medical crew came storming through the doors, Horatio watched while they scrambled with their equipment in an attempt to revive Richard and save Robin. It had felt like a thousand years passed since he went to Robin for assistance on this case. She had said something that rang in his mind over and over again:

_"…You need to see things that people should never see, and you need to get used to things that people should never get used to…"_

Seeing her there--weak and helpless--he thought to himself, "_Robbie, you were wrong about one thing--you never get used to it."_

**So, there ya go! That's the full-blown conclusion of my story! It took longer than I thought to get to this point, but I really enjoyed doing all the research and being able to learn more about forensics as it progressed. It was definitely a treat to write for all you guys, so _I'll_ treat _you_ with one final chapter! Speed/Calleigh fans might like it…but I'm not gunna spoil anything! If anyone has any story ideas that you'd like me to write about or if any of you guys ever need any help writing or researching things for CSI, then I'd be honored to help ya out! Thanks for all the reviews, and hopefully you'll tell other CSI:Miami fans about this story so I can get even more feedback. Love ya lots, and see you next chapter!**

By the way, if anyone wants to email me or even just chat it up while you're online, my email is: nmckean1@aol.com and my AIM screen name is: SolFood22


	22. Cope

Chapter Twenty-Two: Cope

Later that night, at the Miami-Dade crime lab…

Erik Delko pushed through the doors, dropping numerous folders in front of Speedle and Calleigh who were sitting quietly in the break room.

"I heard about what happened…that's rough, man. Is H okay?" Erik said, taking a seat next to Calleigh.

"I'm sure he's taking it pretty hard…he went straight to the hospital after the EMS showed up at the hotel. We haven't heard from him since," she said before taking a sip of black coffee.

"We thought it would be better to leave H alone for now," Speed started. "I bet he's a mess."

"Wow," Erik shook his head, looking at the table. "I never even suspected that…I mean, _Horatio_ didn't even pick up on what was going on until the last minute?"

"Nope. He had no idea."

"I guess it's 'case closed' then…you guys going home for the night?" Erik said, making his visit short.

"Yeah, in a few minutes," Calleigh said, waving to him.

"Alright, if you see H, give him my sympathies…I'll stop by the hospital to visit tomorrow."

Speedle agreed, saying goodbye. Once Delko had stepped out, Speed turned his attention back to Calleigh.

"You gunna be alright with all this? It looked like you were taking it pretty hard back at the scene."

She swished the coffee around in her mouth before swallowing it, letting everything settle in her mind, "I really don't _know_…I can't stand to see Horatio like this. Throughout this entire case, he'd always look so _tired_…like it was starting to get to be too much on him. And did you see him on the way to the hotel? He was a total wreck! He didn't even know you were talking to him half the time!"

Speed quickly broke in when he noticed her eyes were becoming glossy, "I'm sorry, Calleigh…I didn't know I was making you so upset. I think you should just put the work aside for now and get some sleep."

"I…I guess you're right. It's just that…I'm worried about Horatio. What if Robin _isn't _okay? He'll never be the same again without her…" she said, sweeping the tears from her mascara-stained face.

Speedle set his hand on Calleigh's arm, looking into her vibrant blue eyes. He smiled encouragingly, "Listen, this is _H_ we're talking about…he won't let anything happen to Robin."

She chuckled, knowing he was right. Standing up, Calleigh grabbed her jacket off the back of the seat, "So, I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

There was a slight pause before Speed nodded, picking up the folders from the desk, "Yeah…I'll see ya then."

* * * * *

It was early the next morning--the sun peeked through the horizontal blinds, making a sort of striped pattern throughout the hospital room. It was quiet, but there was still a light murmur from the hustle and bustle of the hospital's everyday business.

In the center of the room was a small bed, and under the covers, Robin laid peacefully. Horatio was sitting in a chair beside her. His head was resting next to her arm, and he was still gently holding her hand as he had done the day before. He opened his eyes slowly and rubbed his face, taking a moment to realize exactly where he was.

Once he became more awake, Horatio leaned closer to Robin's face, just taking a moment to simply look at her. Her face was slightly pale from the large amount of blood loss, and the area under her eyes was slightly darker from the lack of sleep she had been getting. There were bandages across her chest and a small wad of cotton taped onto her shoulder--both of them were stained in red. 

When looking around at the numerous machines and monitors, Horatio heard a steady beeping noise, confirming that Robin's breathing was almost back to normal. He pulled the sheets up to her shoulders, then brushed a few hairs from her forehead.

"Robin…what did I do to you…" Horatio said quietly, kissing her slightly parted lips.

Moments later there was a clicking noise from the door as Doctor Barry Kaldwell entered, holding a clipboard with several sheets of paper attached. Looking about 62 years of age, his hair was thin and scarce, and the glasses that were perched on the bridge of his nose gave him an appearance of professionalism. He gave a nod to acknowledge Horatio, stepping in and shutting the door behind him.

"Lieutenant Caine, I would say 'good to see you again', but I guess when it's in a place like this, that's never the case," he said, shaking Horatio's hand.

"How is she, Doctor Kaldwell?" Horatio said, his voice quiet and growing hoarse. 

The doctor looked over at Robin, his aged face was sympathetic, "I can't lie to you--she's lost _a lot_ of blood…and that bullet shattered parts of her ribcage. If it were merely an inch higher, it would have pierced her heart."

Horatio slipped his hands into his pockets, lowering his head and turning away for a moment. Kaldwell took a second to look back at his charts, "However, she just needs a lot of time to recuperate. You know, let everything regulate and properly heal. Of course, that's only the _physical_ side of things."

"So, Robin _will_ be okay," Horatio checked, turning back and looking directly at the doctor.

He smiled, nodding again as he pulled the door open, "Don't worry, she'll be good as new. Just give her a while."

The door shut, and Horatio pulled the chair back beside hospital bed. He smiled at Robin, kissing her hand as he held it in his.

"Did you hear that, Sweetie?" he said in a smoky whisper. "You're gunna be fine…and we can start all over again."

…On the other side of the door, Speed and Calleigh had heard all that Horatio and Doctor Kaldwell had said. Calleigh looked over to her partner, feeling like a thousand pounds had been lifted from her chest.

"I'm so happy Robin's going to make it! Horatio _really_ cares about her…it's so sweet…"

Speedle nodded, reaching across to take Calleigh's hand, "Yeah, they're perfect for each other." 

Her face was slightly confused, but she seemed to get the point.

"Like H told us…you can't take any chances when it comes to possibly losing someone you care for…and, Calleigh, after seeing how close he came to losing the one he loves…I don't want to wait until it's too late to tell you how I feel."

"Oh, Tim…I don't know about…" she said with a light chuckle, thinking it was some kind of joke.

"Don't tell me right now…take some time to think about it. But, I just want you to know that I'll be ready."

Calleigh took one last look into the hospital room, seeing Horatio right there--never leaving Robin's side. A huge smile spread across her face--her mind was made up.

**I wanted to post this chapter yesterday, but almost everyone in Michigan had a huuuuge blackout! Did any of you guys get stuck with no power too? It didn't turn on until about 5 in the morning. I'm just happy it's back, because today it's really really warm! Almost 90! At least I have the day off! Okay, back to the story. Thank you guys for the reviews for the previous chapter! I can't believe that it brought tears to your eyes, Yaba! : ) I know I said that this would be my last chapter, but I didn't want to throw the last part in there just yet. So yes…it saddens me to say that chapter 23 _will_, in fact, be my final chapter. I just want to tie up some loose ends. But I don't think this will be my only story with Robin in it. If I have time, I might actually do a prequel to this story--maybe of when Horatio and Robin first met about 5 years earlier. The only problem is that I wasn't sure if he already was working with Calleigh and Speed or not. Maybe I'd just make up a whole other CSI team for Horatio if he _didn't_ already work with them…or was he working with the Bomb Squad? If you think that's a good idea, or if you guys could help me find out about what H did five years before when the actual series takes place, then please give me an email or put it in the review section. Take care, and I'll be posting soon!**


	23. Starting Over

Chapter Twenty-Three: Starting Over

Horatio had just turned off of the concrete road, and was now following a dirt pathway. The large Hummer bounced up and down as the rocks and twigs were buried beneath it. This path was becoming second-nature to him now, a trail he had been taking frequently for the past two months.

The surroundings, as well as the sounds, told Horatio that he was close to his destination. He could hear the silent ocean again, accompanied by the gulls and the rushing sound of the breeze passing through the palm leaves. Finally, the thick foliage opened to reveal what Horatio thought of as his 'second home': a small, light blue house that was placed right on the sunny-side of Captiva Island.

The Hummer's wheels rolled to a crackling halt. Horatio pushed open the door, stretching his arms above his head once he hopped out. The temperature was comfortable…at least for that of Florida. He half-jogged up the stone-paved walkway and up the three small, wooden stairs. After opening the screen, he knocked a couple times on the door behind it.

There was no response, so Horatio pulled out his own set of keys--unlocking the deadbolt and then the doorknob. Inside, the small house was quite tidy. There was a fresh pot of coffee, as always, sitting to the left on a counter in the beautifully tiled kitchen. Straight ahead, the slate-colored living room was filled with small frames. Horatio picked one up, smiling when he saw a painting of a little girl playing in the sand. He set it back onto the bluish-purple sofa, and followed the large windows to the left past a few large plants--where the back door stood open, revealing a gorgeous array of seaside colors. 

Dressed in black pants and a reddish-purple, button-up shirt (he had left the jacket in the Hummer), Horatio stood out from the toned-down, relaxed hues of the beach. A smile perked up on his face when he saw a petite, fiery-haired figure perched on a fallen log ahead of him--sketchbook in hand and a box of paints beside her.

Upon hearing the shuffling of sand behind her, Robin looked over her shoulder and jumped up with excitement. She rushed over to Horatio, her face cheerful and bright as she sprung into his welcoming arms. Their lips pressed together, the kiss lasting several seconds before Horatio set the small young woman back onto her bare, sand-covered feet.

Robin had been dressed in a yellow bikini-top, covered by overalls that were folded up to her knees. The left strap hung loose, allowing Horatio to see the heart-shaped scar that remained on Robin's shoulder. It would always stand as a constant reminder of what horrors they both had to endure. But now, those hard times were finally over…

"Horatio, I'm sorry I wasn't inside to hear you come in!" she said, sitting herself back on the log and picking up her sketchbook. "I just _really_ wanted to finish up this painting."

Horatio set his chin on her shoulder, slipping his arms around her, "Lemme take a look…"

She held it up for him to see--it was a beautiful painting of the ocean. The color of the sky was warm, as if it were just before sunset. A fisherman was standing in the left corner, beside him stood a few birds, hoping for a meal when the man caught a fish that was too small for his liking.

"This is beautiful, Robbie…your work never ceases to amaze me," Horatio said softly to her.

Robin smiled, giggling as she felt his lips tickle her neck and shoulder. He then sat down beside her, looking out at the ocean through his dark sunglasses as the breeze flowed through his fiery-tinted hair. 

Robin tapped his nose with the tip of her paintbrush, smirking innocently when Horatio looked to her.

"You've been looking so _serious _lately…It's still hard for you, isn't it?" she asked after moving the brush from one color to another.

Horatio took off his sunglasses, squinting as he moved his attention back to the flowing water--it was now more of an orangey color from the now-setting sun. Robin's face was understanding, she set her paints aside and scooted herself next to him. She put her arms around him, resting her head on his chest and letting out a small sigh.

"It's okay, Horatio…all that matters now is that you're here with me… that's all I ever wanted."

The two sat together, conversing lightly as the sun dipped itself into the ocean, until they were nothing but silhouettes against the nighttime setting. Hand-in-hand, they went back into the small, light-blue house…to start what would be the rest of their lives.

** : ) And that is the end of CSI Miami: Captiva. It's heartbreaking for me to have finished this story! I loved _every minute_ of writing it, including all the research and watching and re-watching of some critical episodes that helped me through this story. I want to thank BlackRaven for helping me out with the fiber analysis chapters, and also everyone who gave reviews to my story…_especially_ Yaba and Kady Rilla Wholi for reviewing since my first day of posting, and Marmo for re-connecting with the story and urging me for more chapters! You guys totally rock!!! Now, it's time for me to regather some scattered ideas, and put together another story for you all to read! I should be smokin once school starts, because I'm taking a load of forensics classes and I'm waiting for a response from the Sterling Heights Crime Lab to see if I could put in some volunteer/experience hours there! Wish me luck, and I really really hope to start writing soon! Take care! By the way, thank you for giving me links and info for a possible new story!**


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